


Devil Drawing Near

by SlightlyTwistedSilverware, WelshWitch1011



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: 10 years later, AU, Angst, Baby Hawthorne, F/M, Katniss/Gale - Freeform, NOT Peeta friendly, No Everlark Here, Romance, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-07
Updated: 2018-02-18
Packaged: 2018-12-25 03:51:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 38,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12027528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlightlyTwistedSilverware/pseuds/SlightlyTwistedSilverware, https://archiveofourown.org/users/WelshWitch1011/pseuds/WelshWitch1011
Summary: When Gale Hawthorne is injured during an attempt to rescue Peeta and the other tributes, Katniss makes a choice that reveals her true feelings and sets her free from the Capitol's lies. Ten years later, the repercussions of her decision once again threaten the rebellion and the lives of those she loves. Katniss/Gale AU





	1. Achilles' Last Stand

**Author's Note:**

> Authors' Note – This fic is a collaboration between Silverspoon and WelshWitch1011. For the purposes of copyright, we own absolutely nothing and no disrespect is intended with this work of fanfiction.
> 
> We have read the books and enjoyed them immensely, but there were one or two things we weren't completely content with, hence this story. 
> 
> This fic will follow the timeline of the Hunger Games movies more closely than the books.  
> If you dislike a Gale/Katniss pairing then look away now. More Gale for us!
> 
> This fic was originally posted by us on ff.net - we've decided to post on both sites.

In. Out. In. Out.

If it wasn't for the hand Haymitch had planted firmly in the small of Katniss' back, she was certain she would never have remembered to breathe.

As it was, she was already feeling lightheaded, sick and terrified; the antithesis of everything the Mockingjay had come to represent to the people she sought to inspire. It was certainly true that the Games had destroyed some small part of Katniss Everdeen and that, over the previous weeks, she had found herself looking into the mirror above the minuscule sink in her compartment, only to find a shadow of her former self reflected back at her.

But she wasn't done yet.

The Mockingjay had not laid down her weapons and she had yet to bow down before the Capitol, even though they had done everything in their power to break her resolve. There was a spark still flickering promisingly in her belly even as she kept her eyes trained on the screen in front of her; the screen that brought her the view of the old training centre where Peeta was being held, through the eyes of the team that was risking everything to save him.

When she had learned that Gale was among them, the first to volunteer in fact, Katniss had been stricken with the sudden urge to pick up her bow and use it to threaten anyone who dared stand in the way of her attempt to follow. But Katniss was no hovercraft pilot and she was fairly certain that Gale and Peeta would be among the ashes fertilising Snow's roses before she had even made it half way to the Capitol on foot. And so instead she had let out a weak sob that she had immediately hated herself for and allowed Haymitch to lead her to the command centre, where she could watch the deaths of two of the people she loved most play out in high definition. It was a cruel and unusual punishment, and Katniss found herself empathising even more with the parents, siblings and friends who had been forced to bear witness to the brutal deaths of their loved ones during the televised Games. With her eyes squeezed tight closed, she thought of Glimmer, Marvel and Cato, and wondered if _this_ was to be their retribution.

President Coin prowled the control room like a caged tiger, her hands planted on her hips as she kept her gaze trained on the screen. Katniss admired the woman's poise and control, yet she knew the leader of District 13 had far less to lose if the mission were to fail.

Sanctioning a rescue attempt for Peeta had been a bargaining chip; nothing more, nothing less. The mission was designed to ensure Katniss' continued cooperation- to give the rebels a face for their cause that served Coin's agenda far more than it did the unwilling Mockingjay.

And of course Gale was just another soldier. A faceless name to be mourned and quickly forgotten, like the countless men before him who had sacrificed their lives in pursuit of freedom.

Katniss found herself unwillingly transfixed by the black and white images on the screen, despite the overwhelming need she felt to look away and run fast and far from those pictures.

She couldn't watch them die.

Someone else could break the news to her later. Maybe it would be Coin. Perhaps Plutarch. Or would Effie be the one to draw the short straw in bearing witness to the crazy Mockingjay's latest mental breakdown?

No. It would be Primrose. Katniss was certain that her sister was the only one who would know her well enough in her grief – the only one who would be able to comprehend the extent of the feelings Katniss herself had tried to ignore for quite some time.

After all, Prim knew her better than anyone, and she would see that despite the fresh bonds of friendship and respect Katniss had forged with Peeta, nobody could compare to Gale. To lose him would be unthinkable and unnatural. He had been her constant companion; the only person whose company she craved and good opinion she sought.

_Gale is mine, and I am his._

It was a simple truth that had needed to remain unspoken, buried beneath the lies inflicted on her by the Capitol. But it _was_ the truth, and Katniss wished more than anything in the world that she had found the courage to tell him. He had deserved that much at least.

"Alright. They're in. It's show time."

Katniss blinked as the sound of Plutarch's voice pulled her from her reverie, and she slid further toward the edge of her seat, her hands desperately gripping the armrests for support.

The camera bobbed unsteadily as Gale ran through the hallways, blasting doors from their hinges and charging up darkened stairwells with a kind of bravery and disregard that made Katniss wonder if he was at all concerned with returning home to her.

She supposed she had hardly given him reason to of late. Her anxiety and apparent yearning for Peeta had eclipsed all else, and Katniss had to admit that she was guilty of treating her best friend no better than the Capitol had treated her for years.

Katniss dug her nails into the soft covers of the armrests and forced herself to keep watching. If she had believed in a God, she would have chosen that moment to offer up a prayer but, as it happened, she did not and she couldn't bring herself to utter anymore lies.

"He'll be okay, sweetheart," Haymitch muttered so quietly that Katniss was not sure at first if she had imagined him speaking at all. However, a slight glance to her left and she found Haymitch staring at her unashamedly. Katniss blinked back the tears that welled in her eyes with renewed determination. She remained silent and her gaze slid back to the screen. She was uncertain as to exactly who Haymitch referred, but she dared not ask.

"They don't know we're there… yet," a voice from behind a computer console declared, succeeding in drawing Coin's sharp eye. Katniss let out a quiet sigh of relief and folded her hands in her lap, willing her legs to cease trembling.

"We have a visual on the holding cells," another operative added as Coin finally ceased pacing the room and came to a halt in front of the screen.

Katniss let out the breath she had not realised she had been holding in a whoosh, raising one hand to cover her mouth as she saw a line of iron doors come into view on the screen above. She watched in perfect silence, heart hammering in her ears, as Gale proceeded down the long, straight corridor, taking the lead as he so often was inclined to. The others followed behind him with their weapons drawn, sweeping every inch of the area in anticipation of the enemy. Everything had been remarkably quiet thus far and Katniss could not shake the feeling that somehow, someway, they would be made to pay for this surprising lack of opposition.

Gale stalked down the hall, pausing before each door only long enough to peer through the rectangular windows set high in the frames. He moved on from several cells in a row as he presumably found them all devoid of an occupant. Finally, he stopped in front of the last door in the hallway, his eyes narrowing as he peered through the peephole. Then, he signaled with a single gesture for the other soldiers to join him and Katniss watched as they swarmed at his back, weapons readied.

Reaching into his pocket, Gale pulled out a palm-sized explosive device that Katniss recognised from Beetee's lab, and wasted no time in affixing it to the door jamb. Haymitch's hand shot out, latching firmly around Katniss' knee, and she realised that her left leg had been bouncing up and down uncontrollably. She continued to tremble beneath his touch, her nerves controlling her body against her will.

"Almost home free, sweetheart," Haymitch reminded her, offering her a half smile that unfortunately betrayed his own unease.

"Something isn't right, Haymitch," she hissed, biting her bottom lip fervently and succeeding in drawing a bead of blood. "I don't know how… why… but something isn't right."

"I'm too old and too sober for this," Haymitch grumbled, rubbing at his jawline with a gnarled palm and returning his attention to the screen.

"We have the hostages in sight."

All eyes in the room focused on the team as they hurriedly affixed explosive devices onto the control panels of two other cells positioned on the opposite side of the corridor. Annie and Johanna were still unaccounted for, and Katniss could only presume that they too had now been located behind the heavy sheets of metal. The soldiers and Gale suddenly raced down the hallway, ducking down behind the corner wall that jutted out and covering their faces with their arms as the devices detonated in perfect synchronicity seconds later. Clouds of thick, white smog unfurled into the atmosphere and the soldiers immediately sprang back into life.

Katniss gulped, watching the smoke in one cell dissipate through Gale's head-cam. Finally, accompanied by the sound of heaving coughs, the image of a pale and frightened Peeta Mellark cowering in a far corner came into view.

"He's alive," murmured Katniss, closing her eyes momentarily as relief washed over her and she felt Haymitch's hand fasten around hers.

Katniss returned her attention to the screen, desperate to see the two men make their escape as the sounds of gunfire and blaring alarm bells caused her heart to suddenly begin pounding frantically against her rib cage.

She watched as Gale reached out to help Peeta to his feet, but the shorter man instead regarded his rescuer's extended hand with a curiously blank stare.

Peeta slowly rose to his feet unaided only to stand motionless, his eyes boring into Gale's in a manner that caught the attention of all those watching from the relative safety of District 13. Hatred, jealousy, spite – all flashed across Peeta's face in rapid succession, and Katniss' heart plummeted.

"Wh-what's he doing?" Katniss stammered, glancing up urgently at Haymitch who appeared equally as confused by his young protégé's behaviour.

"Get the hell out of there, kid," Haymitch urged quietly, his eyes wide as he took in the scene with an increasing sense of dread. Katniss was right; something was most definitely amiss.

Above the frantic yells of his colleagues, Gale could clearly be heard imploring Peeta to get up, to run, and he cast a hurried glance at the doorway as the gunfire drew ever closer.

The camera was now once again on Peeta's face, allowing Katniss to search his sunken eyes for any semblance of an explanation. Slowly, Peeta stared up at Gale and his blue eyed gaze flickered only momentarily to the doorway before his mouth opened, and Katniss' entire world crumbled around her.

"GUARDS!"

Peeta's voice, certain and impossibly loud, rang out through the control room, and Katniss felt the bile rising in the back of her throat.

"No…" she whispered, shaking her head as tears coursed unchecked down both cheeks, splashing onto the front of her drab grey, standard issue tunic. "Peeta… no…"

A second soldier suddenly joined Gale in the cell, and the camera on his headset picked up the indecision flickering clearly across Gale's features as he appeared to debate their next move. As Peeta's shouts only increased in fervour and volume, Gale seemed to make his decision. Pulling back one arm, he punched Peeta square in the jaw, sending the man tumbling back against the wall of the cell. Peeta slumped, hovering between waking and unconsciousness, his eyes rolling as he struggled to focus.

"What do I do?" Gale demanded, his voice coming through the speaker system, the undercurrent of panic he felt evident in his tone. "Command, what do I do?"

"Tell him to get out of there," Katniss choked out, finally tearing her eyes away from the screen and affixing her desperate gaze upon Coin. "They have to go."

"I'm inclined to agree," Coin replied, her tone still smooth and measured, although there was a hint of panic in her eyes buried just below the surface.

"Command, do we retrieve the hostages?" Gale called out, his voice laden with confusion, "shoul-…"

A sudden grunt and a cry of pain filled the control room, and the feed from Gale's camera abruptly cut out without warning. Katniss leaped out of her seat, scrambling towards the nearest computer console with a cry of alarm and the desperate air of a woman possessed.

"Where is he? What happened?" Katniss shrieked, fighting through the restraining arm Haymitch wrapped around her with relative ease. Spurred on by adrenaline and fear, Katniss raced forwards, pressing her palm against the now blank screen as the sounds of weapons discharging continued to feed through the still working microphone.

"Link in to another camera, right now," Coin barked, her control beginning to fray as she realised that the operation had gone south far faster than any of them had strategized for. She would be truly sad to lose Hawthorne, who had shown the makings of a promising soldier. She also highly doubted that her Mockingjay would withstand such a loss, and she knew enough about Katniss Everdeen's character to realise that the fate of the entire rebellion undoubtedly rested on the decisions made within the next few minutes.

The president whirled around, seizing Katniss' shoulders and forcing the distraught younger woman to peer up into her face. She shook the girl gently, commanding her full attention before she spoke in a low and desperate voice.

"Katniss, I need you to hold it together for me," she stated, her tone leaving no room for argument, "I will do everything in my power to get them out of there but I…"

The president was cut off as an unfamiliar voice suddenly echoed throughout the command centre, coming live from the darkened camera feed.

"Ma'am… Hawthore is down. I repeat, Hawthorne is down."

Katniss blinked through the steady stream of tears, and her hands fastened around the tops of Coin's arms with unrestrained force. The president winced but made no move to pull away, locked into the intensity of Katniss' stare.

"Bring him home," Katniss begged, forgoing any remaining traces of self-respect she may have had left in 13. Her voice cracked as she watched Coin's countenance falter and something akin to sympathy flicker across the woman's features, "Please… please bring him home. I can't do this without him."

Haymitch and Plutarch exchanged a pointed look, but it was the former who bravely broke the silence.

Placing his hand gently on Katniss' shoulder, Haymitch held the sobbing girl in his arms, cradling the back of her head in a strangely paternal manner that surprised even himself.

"Sweetheart, I know this is hard, but Peeta…"

Katniss shook her head as she sucked in a deep breath and lifted her teary-eyed gaze to her old mentor's face.

"Gale…" she whispered, her voice shaking with terror as the numerous possibilities of the fate that had befallen the young soldier played out in her mind. Her cheeks paled and something resembling an odd combination of shame and relief crashed across Katniss' features even as she continued to regard Haymitch.

And then suddenly, he finally understood. It was the reason Katniss had never truly been able to convince him or Snow of her love for the young baker, and the reason why her indifference had been so difficult to conquer; her heart had already belonged to another.

Wrapping Katniss in his arms, Haymitch turned to President Coin and hoped that for once his tone conveyed his conviction.

"You heard her- bring the boy home. You make sure Hawthorne's on that hovercraft or you find yourself another Mockingjay."

President Coin considered his demand for only a moment, before she leaned over the command console and pressed the button to interrupt the video feed.

Moments later, the mission to rescue Peeta Mellark and the other tributes was aborted, and the team were delegated one final task - bring home Gale Hawthorne, dead or alive.


	2. To Be Free

When she was a little girl, not long before her father's death, Katniss had found the dark comforting. Lying awake in the small bed she had shared with Prim, she had stared at the shadows cast on the walls around her without even a semblance of fear. The shapes thrown onto the white plaster by overhanging tree branches and random pieces of furniture were entrancing rather than terrifying, and Katniss had whiled away many sleepless hours just simply watching, finding solace in the quiet. After the accident in the mines, with their mother so hopelessly vacant and incapable of being the nurturing figure that Primrose needed, Katniss had attempted to show her little sister just how much solace could be found in the darkness. Katniss had woken a then seven year old Prim in the early hours of the bleakest Winter morning, but her sister had soon grown too afraid and Katniss had been forced to light a lamp to dispel the gloom. Primrose, with her small hand held fast in Katniss' larger one, had listened to the sweet lullaby spilling from her sister's lips, eventually falling back into slumber curled into the older girl's side.

Standing in the threshold of the doorway of their compartment, her eyes struggling to adjust to the inherent darkness within, Prim was once again reminded of that very moment. She swallowed hard as she gazed at her sister, who was lying on her back on her bunk, her hands folded across her stomach and her eyes boring into the ceiling, wide and unseeing. Prim wanted nothing more than to go to her, to provide the comfort that she knew her sister so sorely needed, but she was not certain that coddling was in the Mockingjay's best interests given all that lay ahead of them in the coming months. Katniss would need to be strong; to allow herself to be fashioned into the leader that the rebellion so desperately yearned for, but Primrose was certain that none of that would be possible without Gale's steady and unwavering presence at her side. Prim swallowed again, harder this time as she struggled to choke down the wave of emotion that threatened to overwhelm her, and suddenly Katniss' gaze traveled to meet hers.

The two sisters simply stared at each other, a heavy silence hanging over them that each was too scared to shatter for fear of what the truth may reveal.

Finally, she could take no more and Katniss sat up, her gaze still fixed fearfully on Primrose, who was rooted to the spot and wringing her hands in front of the blood spattered apron that covered her pinafore.

Katniss' breath was uneven and ragged and each time she thought she had found the strength to speak, her courage failed her again. She stared unblinkingly at her little sister, tears flowing silently down her cheeks.

Primrose's expression was grave and, as she moved to gently settle herself at Katniss' side, she placed her arm around her sibling in a comforting gesture.

Knowing that Katniss would never volunteer the question that had been torturing her for the last few hours, Prim allowed her quiet voice to break through the darkness uninvited.

"Gale's out of surgery," she murmured, "they were able to repair the tear in the femoral artery, but... but he lost a lot of blood."

Katniss nodded, her mind racing to process the information.

"Will he live?" she whispered hoarsely, swallowing hard as Primrose made no attempt to reply.

"Prim… will he be okay?"

Turning her face toward the light, Primrose regarded her reluctantly. The second Katniss saw her sister's own tears, a sense of terror overcame her that made her stomach lunge and her heart begin to race. If Primrose was worried, she knew there was real reason to fear for Gale's life.

Primrose smiled gently, her blue eyes emphasized by the tears that shone within them.

"He has to be," she eventually replied. "It's Gale."

Prim only needed to blink to see a thousand childhood memories play out in her mind's eye; images of Gale – the paternal presence that had made her younger years that little bit more bearable. He had been a steady and constant figure, always there to look out for her, sometimes as a brother and other times as a friend. But more often than not as a man too young to know fatherhood himself, who had dedicated his life to raising his own siblings and caring for her as if she too were a part of his family.

Gale Hawthorne was a good man; motivated by loyalty, duty and love. Primrose couldn't be sure of the exact moment she had realised he was in love with her sister, but it hadn't taken long to ascertain that Katniss more than reciprocated those feelings. The Capital could never have truly conquered a love that had been formed when they were little more than children. The two shared a history, family, and an unyielding trust that Prim prayed had not ultimately sent the young soldier to his death.

Katniss released the breath she had been holding and leaned forward, her hands covering her face as she wept, partly in relief and partly in horror. Her chest heaved with sobs, and the moment she felt Prim's fingers tenderly comb through her hair she allowed her sadness to overwhelm her.

"It's okay, he'll be okay," Katniss soothed, clasping Prim's hand in her own and trying to muster her most confident smile even through her tears, "Gale's strong- he's really strong and… he'd never leave us, you know that."

Primrose bobbed her head, her mind torn between believing her sister's reassuring words and the medical knowledge she had acquired. In the end, the latter won out, and Prim stood up from the edge of the cot, brushing at her cheeks with trembling fingers.

"You should go to him, Katniss. You have to tell him. He needs to know now. Gale needs to know the truth."

Katniss frowned, inhaling deeply as she tried to calm the sense of panic that she had permitted to envelope her. But Primrose would not allow her to deny her feelings again- not now; not when it might already be too late.

Prim shook her head ruefully, her eyes holding Katniss perfectly in place.

"Come on," she commanded, extending her hand and all but dragging Katniss to her feet.

The two girls walked arm in arm through the winding corridors of 13, their silence and premature grief weighing too heavily on their shoulders as they made their way to the hospital wing. They passed a sea of familiar faces, all turned to Katniss with varying looks of sympathy spread across their features, but the Mockingjay refused to acknowledge a single one of them, keeping her head down and her lips pressed into a thin line. She would not crumble again.

By the time they reached the doorway of Gale's room, Katniss could feel the panic and hysteria bubbling up in her chest and threatening to claim her once again. Sensing her sister's inner turmoil, Prim gave her hand a tight squeeze and wrapped her own fingers around the door handle so that Katniss would be spared the task.

"Is… is he even awake?" Katniss inquired, swiping at her wet cheeks with the back of her free hand and sucking in a steadying breath.

Prim shook her head, struggling to hold back her own sadness as she peeked through the window in the door at the figure lying in the bed, hooked up to varying pieces of machinery and swathed in a grey hospital issue sheet. It seemed such a paradox, seeing Gale looking so frail and helpless in a bed that was almost too tiny to accommodate his large frame. Katniss wavered and hesitated again, but Prim swung open the door and all but propelled her sister into the dimly lit room.

The machines beeped and Katniss started, her gaze drawn to Gale's chest as she sought the reassurance of watching it rise and fall with her own eyes. Once satisfied that he was indeed still with her, Katniss stumbled towards the bed, her hand outstretched and ready to fit around his.

She perched on the edge of the plastic chair positioned at the side of the bed and then spent several moments scrabbling beneath the sheet in order to find Gale's calloused hand. When she did, she was surprised to find that his skin was still warm to the touch, perhaps even a promising sign. Undoubtedly he looked pale and the dark circles staining the skin underneath his eyes were worrying, but Katniss forced herself to look away and back to her sister.

"Can he hear me?" she inquired, cocking her head to one side as she regarded Prim, who gave a small shrug.

"The truth is we don't really know," she answered, her voice gentle as though she were addressing a wounded animal and, in many ways, Katniss supposed she was.

"But I like to think he can," Prim finally finished, offering Katniss the first genuine smile she had managed to muster since Gale had been carried out of the hovercraft and deposited in the med wing, groaning, shaking and bleeding profusely. Prim blinked once, dispelling the image from her mind, and affixed her sister with what she hoped was her sternest look.

"I'll be right outside," Prim stated, making her exit and casting one final glance in her sister's direction before the door clicked closed.

Katniss stared around the room, taking in the sight of the machines and tubes that were at once both comforting and alarming. Squeezing Gale's hand, she rested her head lightly against his chest, seeking out the comfort and security she had always found in his arms. But Gale remained motionless, his chest moving up and down in measured breaths that seemed unnatural and stilted. Her free hand fluttered against his chest, and Katniss brushed her fingertips over the cotton fabric of the sheet and the standard issue hospital gown he had been dressed in. Letting her hand linger over where she assumed Gale's heart was positioned, Katniss raised their joined hands to her chest before laying her head back down next to his.

"Gale? I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm here and… I… I need you to wake up now. I need you to come back to me," she pleaded, watching his eyelids flicker as he slept. She took a moment to once again study his face; his thick lashes, the full curve of his lips, and his strong jaw that was set determinedly even in slumber.

"Your mom, your brothers, Posy… Prim… they all need you. _I need you_. So don't you dare leave us, you hear me?" she tried her best to sound commanding but realised that she had only succeeded in sounding desperate and heartbroken.

"I can't do this without you, Gale," she whispered, blinking profusely as a fresh cascade of tears splashed down her cheeks and dampened the white cotton pillowcase beneath her head.

"You need to wake up. There's things we need to talk about… There's something I have to tell you," she said, reaching out and carefully sweeping his hair from his forehead with her fingertips. "I'm not going tell you now. You have to come back to me first. And until then, I'm gonna stay right here and wait, like you waited for me. Like you've always waited."

As good as her word, Katniss settled back in her chair and waited.

She watched minutes and hours slowly bleed into days, never leaving Gale's side except to use the bathroom and to occasionally stretch her legs when the need arose. The doctors and nurses quickly gave up on attempting to dislodge their permanent visitor and, rather than try to dissuade her sister from staying as others had hoped, Prim instead smuggled her food rations in her pockets during her breaks.

On the fourth day of Gale being locked in a seemingly unreachable slumber, the unthinkable finally happened; Gale Hawthorne took a final, stuttering breath.

And opened his eyes.

**x-x-x**

_**Six weeks later…** _

It had been almost two months since Katniss had felt the sunshine kiss her cheeks and warm the tips of her ears, and so in the middle of the meadow she took a moment to close her eyes, throw back her head, and simply enjoy the sensation of being alive.

At her side, Gale stood patiently, leaning on the walking stick that he had favoured since being released from the infirmary. Prim had been particularly insistent on its use and, between the relentless badgering from her, Hazel and Mrs. Everdeen, Gale had been forced into obedience. He walked with a slight limp, understandably favouring his uninjured leg, but his impatience to be declared fit and back to full health was almost palpable every time Katniss saw him. She had managed to persuade everyone that what Gale really needed in order to speed up his recovery was a chance to return to the woods and fill his lungs with fresh air, even just as a spectator whilst Katniss hunted. Surprisingly, Prim had backed her up and the outing had been sanctioned on the condition that Katniss and Gale both carried communication devices in case they met trouble head on, as they both had a tendency to do.

Ghosting her hand over the blades of grass that surrounded them, Katniss let out a contented sigh and raised her hand above her forehead to shield her eyes from the sun. All that time living in the vast bunkers of District 13 had made her eyes slightly more sensitive to light than she was used to.

An easy silence had fallen between Katniss and Gale, and they were content to lay side by side in the grass, taking comfort in the other's company, just as they had always done.

Reclining her head, Katniss noted a troubled frown had settled on Gale's face, and she leaned up on her elbow and trailed a freshly plucked dandelion along the skin of his arm in order to get his attention.

"Gale? What is it?" she asked, noting with concern how he averted his eyes and seemed unwilling to hold her gaze.

He searched the horizon, squinting against the light as he sighed; the sound so utterly melancholy that it made Katniss impulsively reach out to incline his face toward her.

Licking his lips, Gale stared down at the ground and exhaled, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't save him."

Katniss blinked in surprise, shaking her head as she quickly made sense of his words and curled her fingers around his arm.

"No, Gale. No. It's not your fault," she insisted, "I don't know why Peeta did what he did, but… he made a choice. He made a choice and I have to find a way to live with that."

Gale nodded reluctantly and his expression seemed to darken even further. He stared down at her hand on his arm and placed his fingers over hers.

"I'd do anything to make you happy, Catnip. Even if that… even if that means I don't get to be the one beside you. You chose him, and I accept that. I lost you and…"

"Gale…" Katniss interrupted, finding herself silenced as he stared at her with unspeakable intensity.

"It's okay, Katniss, really. Maybe you were never mine to lose," he admitted, "but I wanted to bring him home. I swear to you I did everything I could to bring home the guy you love."

Growing increasingly exasperated, Katniss reached up and placed her fingertips against his lips, "You did."

Gale fell silent, his mouth opening in surprise as he digested her words, daring to hope that the meaning he had extracted from them was the correct one. Finally, to dispel any doubt still lingering in Gale's mind, Katniss leaned forwards and brushed her lips tenderly against his.

Her breath was warm against his skin and her hand came to rest against his cheek, pulling him hungrily to her to deepen the kiss that had come completely out of the blue. His heart soaring with renewed hope, Gale wove his fingers through Katniss' hair and reciprocated the gesture, his eyes fluttering closed as he sank back against the grass. Katniss moved to hover directly over him, one palm splayed on the ground to support her weight and the other resting lightly on Gale's broad chest. Finally, their need to draw oxygen became too great to ignore, and the pair tumbled apart like an electric current had been passed through their bodies.

"Woah…" Gale panted as he struggled to regulate his breathing and heart rate, both of which had grown erratic from the sheer proximity of the woman he loved; the woman he was certain he had loved since he was fourteen years old and traipsing through the words to hunt squirrels.

"When you… when I saw you in the training centre, all I could think about was how much I didn't want to lose you," Katniss whispered, drawing away and suddenly curling her knees into her chest. "Even before Peeta did what he did, all I wanted was for you to be back home and safe. With me."

"Katniss, what are you…" Gale began, finding himself silenced once more as Katniss simply shook her head at him, finally raising her gaze to meet his and allowing him to see the tears that streaked down her cheeks. Gale swallowed hard, yearning to reach out and brush the tears away but hardly daring to move.

"It's you, Gale," she half choked out, pushing her hair behind her ears and closing her eyes as she continued, "it's always been you. I just got so caught up in everything… in the lies and the guilt and… I guess I stopped seeing it – what we had."

She sniffled as she continued to stare at the ground, "Maybe now it's too late to go back and I get that. So much has happened. But I just can't stand you thinking that your life means so little to me that I could be anything but overjoyed to have you by my side."

Gale remained quiet, hearing his heart pounding in his own ears. He longed to believe that what Katniss had said was true but he had stopped hoping that she would love him back a long time ago.

"But what about Peeta?" he demanded, wincing as he sat up and hesitantly took her hand in his own, "Katniss… I know you better than anyone. You love him, I know it. I saw you, I…"

"You're right," Katniss nodded, and Gale felt his heart poised to break once again.

"I did... I… I do. But not like that. _Not like this_ ," she demonstrated, leaning closer and brushing a tender kiss against his lips.

"Peeta's my friend, but I couldn't make myself love him the way they wanted. I wanted… I _want_ him home safely. But I need to stop lying to everyone, Gale. I need to stop lying to myself," she said, drawing back to look into his eyes. Her palm swept his cheek and he could not help but lean into her touch, even though he was desperately afraid that she would pull away at any moment. Gale had become so accustomed to letting Katniss go that it felt almost like second nature.

"Don't let me fall more in love with you, Katniss… not if you're going to leave again," he said honestly, "I need to know this is real and not some kind of knee-jerk reaction because Peeta's all messed up and for once I look like the smarter choice."

"Is that really what you think of me?" Katniss asked, suddenly looking away and letting her hand drop from his face. "Guess I deserved that."

She thought over the broadcasts from the arena, the interviews and press junkets that Gale had seen; he could never have known how often she had longed for him to be there beside her, how in the quiet moments away from the cameras, he had been the one she kept secretly in her heart.

Gale's hand captured the back of her head and he turned her to face him, his expression earnest. "You deserve to be happy, Catnip. I just need to be sure that I'm the guy who'll make you happy."

She blinked away a tear and smiled at him as if he had known the answer to that question all along. And for once, Gale allowed himself to believe that he may finally get the girl.

"So, what do we do now?" he asked, his smile growing as he contemplated the thousands of kisses they had sacrificed that he had every intention of making up for.

Katniss shrugged, keeping perfectly still as Gale inclined his head as if to kiss her again, and stared down at her lips with such hunger that she felt every nerve ending in her body practically singing with delight.

"We stay together… and cause all kinds of trouble."

**x-x-x**

He wasn't sure how long it had been since they had come for him. All he knew was that he had been moved to another cell in the bowels of the building and that the guards had all of a sudden become a little less hostile and savage.

Food rations had gradually increased, and the torture had stopped.

That was perhaps to be expected - he had after all thwarted an attempt by the Mockingjay's rebel friends to rescue him. He had warned District 13 of the impending air raid headed their way, and he had warned the Capital of the rebels' less than covert operation.

Peeta had learned that it was good to keep the playing field level. Katniss might have chosen her side, but that didn't mean the same had to be true for him. Besides, the very last person he would ever have accepted help from was Gale Hawthorne - the boy he had watched all those years in school as he effortlessly charmed the girls and excelled in his studies, with an infuriating air of indifference to it all. The only exception to that rule had of course been Katniss.

Peeta knew the reason Gale had been part of his rescue team was his devotion to Katniss, and the depth of his selflessness and blind adoration left Peeta nauseated. He had watched Gale take a bullet to the leg; Peeta had remained conscious long enough to see the extent of the blood pooled on the floor beneath Gale, and he had looked with satisfaction at the terror stricken expression on the young soldier's face.

The sudden sound of footfalls in the hall outside his cell catapulted Peeta into an instantly defensive pose, and he lifted his gaze warily to the door as the sound of the lock being opened caused every nerve ending to tense.

Blinking against the harsh light that suddenly filtered into his cell, Peeta's mouth dropped open in confusion at the sight of his impromptu visitor.

President Snow observed the young man for a few brief moments, before a slow, snarling smile appeared on his lips.

"Peeta, my dear boy…" he began, folding his hands in front of him as he appeared to deliberate over his words, "I was hoping you and I could talk."

Peeta shrugged, "I don't know anything about Katniss or her friends. If I did, don't you think I'd tell you?"

Snow chuckled softly, stroking the ends of his beard as he arched an equally white eyebrow. "Oh, I'm almost certain that you would, which is precisely why I'm here."

"Okay…" Peeta replied, feeling more at ease with each passing moment. Something about the President's countenance had him intrigued.

"I have a proposition for you, young man; one I think you will like very much. It is the opportunity of a life-time, I assure you."

Peeta needed no time to think over his proposal and the possibilities it implied, and he indicated the cot bed in his room with a somewhat self-assured shrug and a wave of his hand.

Nodding his head, Peeta answered with a haunting half smile, "I'm all ears."


	3. Everybody Wants To Rule The World

_**8 years later…** _

It was always so dimly lit in the hallways, making it more difficult to navigate the sharp twists and turns that resulted from haphazard architecture, but she ran at full pelt nonetheless. She knew every slight bump and knot in the ground like the back of her hand, and she paused to leap over a particularly large dent in the concrete that could have tripped her otherwise.

She could hear the sound of voices further along the hall, undoubtedly coming from the command centre. A wide smile broke out across her face, creasing her grey eyes at the corners, as she recognised the loudest one of all. He was cracking some joke or other, and the resulting bout of laughter from the others occupying the room was so raucous that it boomed throughout the entire hallway. She picked up her pace a little more then, so eager to reach him that she hardly cared if she was about to careen around the corner and collide with another soldier, as she had done on more than one occasion already.

The door to the command centre was open and she launched herself through it so quickly that to those observing she was simply a blur of grey material and dark brown braids.

"Hey!" a young computer operative called out indignantly as she swept past his desk, her trailing arm sending the cup of coffee balanced on the edge tumbling to the ground. The thick, black liquid spilled out of the cup and began to pool on the floor, spreading dangerously close to a bundle of wires beneath the console that may or may not have been extremely important. She barely batted an eyelid, however.

Gale Hawthorne turned sharply on his heel at the sound of the disturbance, letting out a gasp as a small body flung itself against him, and two arms reached up in an unsuccessful attempt to encircle his waist.

"Daddy!" the excitable whirlwind of a child shrieked, throwing back her head and gazing up at her father with unchecked adoration blossoming across features that were so like Katniss'.

"Briar?!" Gale couldn't help the grin that tugged at his lips, despite the stern parental stance he knew he should be taking at that moment. Exasperated sighs and rolling eyes captured his attention, and so he hoisted the rambunctious four year old up into his arms and began to walk towards the door.

"What are you doing in here, huh?" he asked gently, pressing a kiss to her chubby cheek and smiling at her still baby-faced features. "Isn't Effie supposed to be taking care of you?"

The little girl bobbed her head solemnly.

"Yep," she replied, before instantly dismissing any accusation of wrong-doing with a heartfelt declaration, "but I miss you, Daddy!"

Gale couldn't help but chuckle; at only four years of age, Briar Hawthorne had her father wrapped entirely around her perfect little finger.

"Well I miss you too, sweetheart, but you know you're not supposed to be here when Daddy's working, right?" he jiggled her playfully in his arms as a pout formed on her rosebud lips.

"Sowwy, Daddy," she lisped, her eyebrows knitting together as she frowned.

"That's okay," Gale replied with a sigh and quickly kissed her cheek again, although his thoughts had now drifted to her designated babysitter, who would no doubt be in a fit of apoplexy at the idea of losing her charge, "I think maybe we should go and find Effie so you can tell her you're sorry for running off. Next time, you stay with Effie, okay?"

Briar only nodded, busying herself with running her fingertips over the buttons and badges positioned on her father's black military uniform. Any remorse at her actions was looking unlikely.

From the far end of the hall, Gale squinted to make out three figures hurrying toward him, and it wasn't long before the impossibly tall and comically shaped hair of Effie Trinket gave her away. Eight years away from the Capitol and her extensive wig collection had seen the former escort grow in a rather impressive head of brunette hair, which she insisted on styling in the most elaborate beehive she could manage, sans hairspray and styling products.

"Gale?" Katniss yelled, jogging down the corridor toward him, panic etched across her features. "Is she with you? Is she okay?"

"Right here, Catnip," Gale replied, waiting for his wife to reach them before he carefully passed their daughter into her waiting arms.

"Momma!" Briar squealed, throwing her arms around Katniss' neck and wriggling in delight as her mother returned the embrace.

"You scared me to death," Katniss chided, her tone firm despite the fact that she stroked the crown of her daughter's head and pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose. "You can't keep doing this, Briar. You could get hurt wandering off on your own."

The child gazed up at her mother silently for a few moments, however, her eyes then shifted sideways, signifying that she was quickly losing interest in the lecture. Briar had garnered somewhat of a reputation around 13 for managing to give her babysitters the slip, and Gale and Katniss had become hard pressed to find anyone brave enough to take on the challenge of their daughter when their presence was required elsewhere. The rebellion was ongoing, shifting through periods of success and loss, and Coin and the district still had great need for Katniss and her skills if they ever hoped to one day rally the survivors from the other districts into some form of an army. Both Katniss and Gale had assumed positions in the military following the second partial destruction of 13, although Katniss primarily worked at training new recruits in weapons handling and survival techniques, whilst Captain Gale Hawthorne was renowned to be the best strategist the district had seen in decades.

"Oh thank heaven," Effie wailed as she trotted towards the Hawthornes, her palm pressed dramatically to her breast as though to still the racing of her heart. "I thought for certain I had lost you this time, my little darling."

Gale affixed Briar with a pointed look that seemed to pass straight over the child's head. Sighing, he tapped her gently on the shoulder and pressed, "Do you have something to say to Effie?"

Briar considered her father's question for several seconds, her features scrunched up into a sober expression. Finally, she sucked in a deep breath and gave a vehement nod.

"Uh huh… can we get a cookie now?" the child demanded, her eyes trained questioningly on Effie's face even as she laced her chubby fingers through the bottom of Katniss' braid.

Katniss rolled her eyes, hoisting the little girl up in her arms as if the terror that had consumed her minutes earlier had not yet quite left her and she still could not bring herself to let go of her daughter. She pressed her cheek to Briar's baby soft skin, and held her close to her chest, wondering yet again how she could ever possibly love anything so much.

Whilst the arrival of her daughter had brought Katniss immense joy, it had also left her with a nagging fear that one day someone might target the child, and a strict embargo was in place that made it illegal for any resident or visitor to District 13 to mention Katniss' private life to the outside world. As far as the other districts were concerned, Katniss was a soldier of the rebellion, the face of their fight. They knew nothing of her other life as a wife and mother, and Coin had been uncharacteristically helpful in ensuring that news of Briar Hawthorne's arrival had not made it past the ears of their district.

"No, what else have you got to say to Effie?" Gale coaxed, trying to correct his daughter and also distract her from wanting a cookie; rations were after all still in effect and didn't often include cookies, even for the daughter of the Mockingjay.

Briar yawned, resting her cheek against her mother's shoulder as she regarded Effie with a sleepy smile that instantly made Effie bite back a grin of her own.

"I'm waiting, young lady," Effie said, arms folded across her chest as she tried her best to look annoyed.

"Sowwy, Effie," Briar finally murmured, grinning as she was rewarded with an affectionate kiss to the top of her head by her adoring father.

"I'm really sorry, Effie," Katniss echoed, wincing as she realised the degree of panic Effie must have suffered. Despite their shaky start, Effie had become a much loved, almost maternal presence in Katniss' life, and from the second Briar had made her appearance in the world, Effie had watched and fussed over the baby with a softness that had surprised all of those around her.

In an even more shocking turn of events, it had become apparent that despite his initial protestations, not only did Haymitch quite like children, he was also an incredibly competent diaper changer and performer of out of tune lullabies.

"Oh, no harm done I suppose," Effie swatted her hand in Katniss' direction, "children will be children."

Haymitch reached out and ruffled the child's dark hair, slinging an arm around Effie as he suggested, "Maybe we could get Beetee to fit her with some sort of tracking device."

"We'll look in to it," Katniss laughed, planting the little girl back on her feet and taking her hand as Gale moved to the child's other side and clasping her other hand in his. Katniss smiled at the sight, watching Briar's tiny fingers curl around Gale's much larger hand. "Okay, we need to get you back to our quarters, little duck."

"Can I play with Buttercup?" Briar asked, her eyes wide with excitement at the prospect.

"After your nap you can," Katniss countered, averting her gaze and grinning to herself as her daughter's face fell into a crestfallen pout.

"Awww! But I'm not tired, Momma!" she protested, her bottom lip sticking out in a well-practiced sulk that Katniss always claimed was a perfect replica of her father's most petulant expression.

"Uncanny," Katniss teased, shooting Gale a pointed glance which he deflected with a playful grin. The tip of her tongue pressed against her top lip as she watched him plead ignorance, and she couldn't help the smile she automatically bestowed upon her husband as he lifted Briar back into his arms and slid his free hand around her waist.

Rolling his eyes, Gale craned his neck and kissed her briefly on the lips, "You kidding me? This kid is all you. Wilful, stubborn, always getting herself into _all kinds_ of trouble…"

Haymitch interjected, suddenly conscious that he and Effie were intruding on a private moment, "We'll see you three later at dinner. If you could refrain from putting us off it, that'd be great."

"Sweet dreams, little one," Effie added softly, reaching up to stroke Briar's cheek.

Haymitch and Effie disappeared down the corridor arm in arm, the latter maintaining a steady stream of chatter now that her charge had been located and all was well once again. Gale and Katniss moved in the opposite direction, heading towards their compartment, with Briar slowly growing limp in her father's arms as exhaustion began to overwhelm her.

Both parents remained silent, exchanging knowing looks as they realised that their daughter would likely be asleep before they had even laid her down on her bed. Sure enough, the child's eyes were closed and her mouth open whilst she snored by the time they had reached the threshold of the doorway to their quarter; what was in effect the Hawthorne family home. Prim and Mrs. Everdeen shared a compartment a short distance away, which was in turn just a stone's throw from the quarter occupied by Hazelle and the remaining Hawthorne children.

Gale moved stealthily towards Briar's bed and carefully laid her sleeping body down on the mattress, pausing to arrange a blanket over her. He brushed a stray strand of hair that had escaped her braids away from her cheek and watched as she let out a sigh in her slumber before curling up onto her side.

"Here," Katniss whispered, handing over a lumpy, grey cloth rabbit to Gale, which he examined with a smirk before tucking into the crook of Briar's arm. The toy had been made for her shortly before her birth by Hazelle, who had been so thrilled at the prospect of meeting her first grandchild that she had destroyed an entire bed sheet in order to produce the gift. Mrs. Everdeen had managed to acquire a needle and thread from medical, but the only available option for stuffing had been more odds and scraps that Hazelle had shredded off the blanket. The result was a pale grey animal with too-saggy ears, an absent cotton tail, and a body that was more bulky than cuddly, but Briar adored her bunny nonetheless.

Quietly and hand in hand, Gale and Katniss slipped into the living area of the quarter, Gale pausing to pull across the flimsy door that separated the two rooms.

"I blame you," Katniss stated, dropping down into a nearby chair and crossing her arms as she regarded Gale. "You encourage her."

"Do not." Gale simply narrowed his eyes and awarded her his most disbelieving expression, which she quickly deflected with a toss of her head.

Raising her arms, Katniss yawed wearily, watching as Gale settled himself on the small sofa and she quickly relocated to join him.

Settled in his arms, her head leaning against his chest, Katniss closed her eyes and sighed contentedly within his embrace. His lips ghosted across her cheek, jaw and finally the curve of her neck, and she reached up blindly to press her palm to his cheek. Gale curled his hand around hers and brushed his lips in the centre of her palm for good measure.

His voice was low and husky as his breath crested the shell of her ear and she shivered at the sensation.

"What about you?" he inquired, smiling against the warmth of her neck, "did _you_ miss me, Catnip?"

"Always," she replied earnestly, despite the fact that Gale had only been gone since the previous evening, leading a team out to test the new electrified border fences they had erected weeks before.

He tried to be away as little as possible, preferring to spend his time with his family rather than leading missions. Gale had managed to secure a position that meant he spent the majority of his working hours in the control centre, and both he and Katniss had barely spent a day apart from Briar since her birth. Their family came above and beyond everything else – the districts, the ongoing war, and even the rebellion itself.

Gale Hawthorne had always longed for a family of his own and he intended to savour every second of their life together. He had learned as a teenager how fragile and unpredictable life could be, and he wanted Briar to have happy memories of her father, should anything ever happen to him. Gale was determined that his daughter would know just how deeply she was loved, and that her mother was quite literally the love of his life.

"Hey, stop thinking like that," Katniss interrupted his rather melancholy reverie, and Gale started suddenly at the intrusion.

"I wasn't…" Gale began, poised to deny the accusation that his thoughts had been anything other than positive, despite the fact that he knew his expression had likely betrayed him.

"Liar," Katniss accused, turning her head to regard her husband. Katniss reached up and pressed her palm against Gale's jaw, and two identical pairs of Seam eyes locked on each other as the couple craned their necks in order to kiss.

When they finally drew apart, Gale paused to smile down at his wife and tuck an errant piece of hair behind her ear. It still amazed him that they had managed to escape the district that had been their prison as well as their home, and he would never stop being grateful that some higher power had seen fit to allow them to remain together.

"I hate to ruin the moment and talk shop," Katniss stated, chewing on her bottom lip as her thoughts drifted back to the latest piece of news buzzing around 13, "but, any news on the Capitol situation?"

Gale's jaw tensed immediately and his eyes hardened, but his arms remained locked gently around his wife, who pressed herself closer to his chest. Although Katniss had never been one to require a knight in shining armour of any kind, Gale's body pressed flush against her own rarely failed to make her feel safe. He was solid and real, her anchor to both sanity and happiness more times than she could recount. She listened to the steady, rhythmic beating of his heart beneath her ear and let out a contented hum, half forgetting the question she had broken the silence with in the first place.

"They buried Snow yesterday and swore in the new president this morning," Gale finally answered, his fingertips trailing up Katniss' arm and coming to rest lightly on her shoulder. "No word yet on who it is but we're working on it."

"Have we got a list of possible successors?" Katniss asked, wondering if this would be a case of 'better the devil you know', or whether the new president would actually prove beneficial to bringing the war to an end, either through political avenues or military inexperience – the districts would be happy to exploit either.

Gale shrugged, "We do, but the information's out of date. Half those guys could be dead by now. Nobody stayed in Snow's favour for long, you know that."

Katniss shuddered unbidden, reflecting on her own encounters with the recently deceased leader. She rested her cheek against Gale's shoulder and breathed in his familiar, comforting scent. Memories of her time as a tribute still caused her the odd sleepless night, but she instead tried to focus on the present and the happy life she had carved out in 13, despite the odds never having truly been in her favour. She certainly had once thought the idea impossible, having refused to contemplate allowing herself to focus on love; and yet it had turned out to be the very thing that had saved her. Gale had saved her and she had saved him – just as it had always been.

Changing the subject, at least temporarily, Gale allowed his chin to rest on the top of her head as he struggled to contain a yawn. "You sleep okay last night?"

Katniss closed her eyes and allowed herself to be lulled by the sensation of his fingertips drifting up and down her arm. She let out a murmur of affirmation in response.

"I came back to check on you both before we ran the test data. You and Briar looked pretty out of it," he smiled at the memory of having crept into their quarters to find his wife and daughter snuggled up together in the centre of their cot bed, both with their heads tilted back, lips parted, and arms wrapped tightly around each other.

The nightmares and resultant insomnia were now much rarer for Katniss, and she had begun to sleep again as she had as a child; carried away in a heavy, peaceful slumber, feeling safe and loved.

"You did?" She opened her eyes slowly to cast a dubious glance up at her husband.

"Well, I know you don't exactly need me to check up on you but I still like to every once in a while," Gale replied, his smile transforming into a smirk as he added, "someone's got to make sure you two stay out of trouble."

"And a fine job you did of that today," Katniss retorted, one eyebrow quirked as she glanced pointedly at her husband. "Seriously Gale, you have to stop letting her get away with things. That kid has practically got you hog tied. She needs to know that no means no, for her own safety."

Gale's expression sobered and he considered Katniss' words seriously for a few moments before nodding.

"I know, you're right," he assuaged, squeezing the top of his wife's arm and dropping a kiss onto the crown of her head, "no more letting her sneak into command, I promise."

Katniss nodded, her expression still troubled despite Gale's assurances. She knew their daughter was headstrong and wilful, two qualities that she ordinarily admired and recognised as having been inherited from her, but she could not help but worry that the little girl would eventually land herself into some kind of trouble that her parents would be incapable of digging her out of.

"I just worry about her," Katniss said, a shiver coursing involuntarily through her body as she continued, "the rebellion isn't over yet, Gale. We both know there's more to come, and if the Capitol knew about Briar…"

"They won't find out," he soothed, pressing his lips to her temple as he held her tightly, "I'll never let anything happen to our daughter, Katniss. You know I'd die before I allowed anyone to hurt her."

Katniss' fingers gripped tighter around his arm, and she tried to curl herself more snugly into his body, "I don't ever want it to come to that, Gale. If I lost you or Briar, I…"

Gale held her close, smiling despite the seriousness of their conversation as he replied through a chuckle.

"I waited six years for you, Catnip. If you think you're getting rid of me now…" his breath ghosted her ear as he whispered playfully, "you're crazy."

She consented to smile, resentfully dissolving into laughter as he planted clumsy kisses across her cheeks and walked his fingers up her sides, making her shiver and recoil.

"Gale! Would you stop?!" she panted, laughing out loud even as she glanced to the screen door toward where Briar slept.

"Not until you lighten up!" he replied, rolling them over until his body rested carefully on top of hers, their fingers interwoven as their hands rested on either side of her head.

"Gale!" she protested half-heartedly, watching as he lifted their joined hands and brushed his lips reverently over the thin silver band on her finger. Precious metals of any kind were a rarity in the districts, and jewellery was a luxury generally reserved for those in the Capitol. But Effie had insisted on it, and had had one of her own brooches melted down to fashion two thin yet perfectly fitting wedding bands – one for Katniss, one for Gale. The ceremony itself had been simple and secret, with only those in President Coin's most trusted circle privy to the details. However, the marriage it had founded far belied its humble start.

"Gale…" but this time his name left her lips in a breath, and the smile that graced her features was telling of only intense love and devotion.

He silenced her finally with a toe-curling kiss and, for once, the Mockingjay willingly surrendered.

**x-x-x**

From the now deserted balcony, he watched as all remnants of the lavish ceremony were swept and cleared away. Coloured streamers were pushed into piles by Avoxes wielding brushes, whilst young children on bended knee scrubbed at the steps of the presidential palace with small brushes and buckets of cleaning fluid. Overhead, the sun began to dip below the horizon, punctuating the end of the day that would be forever marked in his memory. He smiled as he watched it all.

Certainly it had been a long time coming, but he knew beyond all reasonable doubt that the wait would prove worthwhile. He had wheedled his way into Snow's good graces, pranced around the Capitol with a kind of ease that had surprised even himself, and thrown everything he had into truly learning the politics of Panem. He had been there the day Snow had ordered those districts that stood with the Mockingjay to be firebombed, standing by the President's side and watching with baited breath as the hovercrafts rained destruction down on the masses, who he had come to realise truly deserved what was coming to them. Snow would indeed be a tough act to follow, but there was no doubt in his mind that he would be up to the challenge. After all, the President himself had selected his own successor on his deathbed just a month beforehand. The Capitol had been careful to keep everything hush-hush until the very last minute, for fear that the Mockingjay may still have useful contacts. Whilst little had been heard from Katniss Everdeen for the past five years, he was certain that she was still alive, out there somewhere, playing the role of victim as well as she ever had.

Over the years, he had come to realise that every single bad thing that had ever happened to Katniss had been brought down upon her own head by her foolish, deliberately disobedient actions. Life in the districts had never been so bad, if you knew how to play the game and make nice with the Peacekeepers, but Katniss and her ilk had never been known for that. It had taken him a while, but he had finally seen the Mockingjay for what she really was; an anarchist, who cared little for the safety of those in the districts whom she professed to fight for, and everything for making the residents of the Capitol suffer for simply having chosen the right side.

It had been a little over six months since the last broadcast from the adored Mockingjay had hijacked their screens. Though her message remained as strong and determined as ever, in her general demeanour he had noticed a strange softness. He could not guess what had triggered this change, and in all other manners the woman had remained much the same.

The smile that sometimes graced his lips when he saw her would need to be contained – he would not let his former life betray him. None of that had been real anyway, but this- this was real. And everything was now his for the taking.

Running his hands down the edges of his starched white collar, the man stared over the partial ruins of his city with a snarl of defiance. Though construction teams worked tirelessly to restore the buildings and ornate gardens to their former glory, the black smoke marks marred the marble and white stone like the battle scars they were.

Almost a year before, the rebellion had found a way to disable the Capitol's defence systems, and so had begun a night of constant air strikes- an attack the likes of which the city had never seen before. Morale was low, and the incoming president knew that winning over his people was key if they were to finally end the war; public speaking had of course always been a certain skill of his, and where he could not charm he had been taught to destroy.

The rebellion would be quashed and the Capitol would rise again, of that he was certain. Whilst he would rule with the same iron fist that his mentor had favoured, he felt a little public relations work wouldn't go amiss to gain the trust and following of his disillusioned populace.

It shouldn't take much convincing; after all, Peeta Mellark had always been a master at winning over the crowd.


	4. The Power Of Love

Food had always been a large part of Katniss' life; acquiring it, preparing it, sharing not enough of it between too many hungry mouths, and truly rare moments of actually getting to enjoy it. The latter had come mostly during Katniss' time in the Capitol, and had been a small consolation for the trials and cruelties she had faced there. For a huge portion of her young adult life, hunting and scavenging for enough food to feed her starving family had been the sole purpose of Katniss' existence, and it almost seemed odd now to have reached a state where food was plentiful.

However, Katniss was simply content with the fact that, in all her four years on Earth, Briar had never once known hunger. Katniss had never dreamed of a Panem in her own lifetime where her child would not experience the sensation of an empty belly, and so she was grateful to 13 for what they were able to provide. Although food was still rationed, the quality and variety of it had vastly improved since Katniss and Gale had first arrived in the District, mostly due to the secret trade agreements that 13 had been able to arrange with Districts 4 and 11 since the rebellion had begun. Although 10 had yet to pledge their allegiance either way, preferring to remain neutral due to the fear the Capitol had instilled in the population, they also sent whatever they could spare in the way of meat.

Sliding into a canteen bench, Katniss turned to hoist Briar onto the seat by her side before affixing a cloth napkin around the child's neck as she waited for Gale to return with their trays. On the menu that evening was a simple turkey broth, steamed vegetables and a small wholemeal bread roll, which was always the first item that Briar would devour. Once a week, the kitchen staff managed to scrape together something that resembled a dessert course, usually on a Saturday evening. This had become Briar's favourite day of the week, and she usually counted down the days with great anticipation. The hours beforehand were spent interrogating her parents as to what they thought that night's dessert may be.

Briar Hawthorne sat impatiently on the bench, swinging her little legs to and fro as her bright grey eyes followed her father's figure across the room, as though sheer will could hurry him along.

"I'm hungwy, Mommy," Briar whined, huffing impatiently before she once again checked on her father's progress.

"I know, baby, but Daddy's almost done," Katniss assured her, glancing down as the little girl leaned her head against her torso and wrapped her arms around her mother's arm, though her eyes were not once drawn from the dinner line.

Katniss smiled fondly at her child, reaching out to stroke her cheek before she too allowed her eyes to rest on Gale's imposing form. Keeping a restraining hand on Briar's leg, she propped her chin in her free hand, and watched Gale chat to the canteen staff with his usual ease and sincerity.

Gale Hawthorne was well respected by the men under his command and liked by the residents of the district, who appreciated his strength, loyalty, and innate kindness. Seeing him through their eyes never failed to make Katniss thankful for having Gale in her life, and she couldn't imagine a more devoted or adoring husband and father.

Of course Gale was also particularly handsome- another factor which had obviously not gone unnoticed by his young wife, or indeed some of the other female citizens of District 13. Sometimes, it almost felt to Katniss like being back in school, where she was forced to clamour for Gale's attention alongside a crowd of hormonal and overly excitable teenage girls. Nothing could have been further from the truth really, but even the Mockingjay was prone to the occasional bouts of insecurity and self-doubt.

As Gale finally began to leave the line and head in the direction of their table, Briar heaved an audible sigh of relief. She bounced in her seat in anticipation and Katniss gently squeezed her knee as a reminder to sit patiently and wait.

Gale placed Briar's tray down first, succeeding in finally coaxing a smile from the little girl, who had woken from her nap unusually crotchety. Her mood had meant that Katniss had been able to achieve little in the way of work for the rest of the afternoon. Instead they had visited the medical wing, where Prim and Mrs. Everdeen had been taking inventory and Briar had been allowed to practice counting packages of bandages. She could never get past 30 but there was very little that could steal the joy from a visit to Grandma and Auntie Prim.

"What do you say?" Katniss reminded her daughter pointedly as she grabbed at her bread roll without a word, her eyes wide with anticipation.

"Thank you…" she finally mumbled from around a mouthful of bread. Shaking her head in a mixture of despair and amusement, Katniss surreptitiously slid her own roll onto Briar's tray. Their daughter had a healthy appetite and could easily have managed double the child size portions that the canteen workers saw fit to provide her with. Katniss, having grown up in the cold shadow of hunger for most of her life, could never stand to see Briar denied something that she was able to provide, and so she often found herself sharing portions of her own meal with the little girl. Besides, she had lost her taste for bread during recent years.

"Catnip…" Gale chided quietly, eyebrow arched at his wife, who only smiled back in response.

He opened his mouth as though to say more, no doubt poised to scold Katniss further, when the large television hanging from the centre of the ceiling suddenly burst into life with a picture of the Capitol emblem emblazoned in the centre of the screen. A deathly hush naturally fell over the canteen, and Gale and Katniss exchanged glances. Briar simply continued eating, finding the messages relayed from the funny looking people in the 'bad place' usually to be rather dull and uninteresting.

The regular fanfare assaulted their ears and the patriotic image of the Panem flag blowing in the breeze filled the screen. Then slowly but surely, the camera panned to the expansive presidential office. With an embarrassing degree of dramatic flair that reminded Katniss of her own regular brushes with TV broadcasting, the camera focused on a solitary figure standing with one hand on the white marble fireplace with his back facing the audience.

With a decisive air, the man turned suddenly and the audience were greeted by their new president, who carried himself with a stoic yet stately demeanor that befitted his surroundings.

Katniss felt like all the air in the room had suddenly disappeared, and her head began to swim as she gazed at the screen with a sickly recognition.

"Oh my God…" she breathed, her eyes wide and conveying the same level of shock that her fellow diners exhibited themselves.

" _Peeta_?"

As the new master of Panem began to speak, Katniss lost her grip on the fork in her hand and it fell against her tray with a metallic clang.

Gale's complexion visibly paled, and he found himself immediately afraid to meet his wife's gaze for fear of the emotion he might find scrawled across her features. Although Katniss had never given him reason to believe that he meant anything other than the world to her, for the past eight years Gale had felt as though he were living slightly in the shadow of fear that resulted from Peeta's existence in the Capitol. Gale was acutely aware that he had not shared the experience of the Games with Katniss and that, despite the depths of his feelings for his wife, he could never truly understand what she had gone through to simply survive. He was her constant and her comfort whenever she would wake in the night, still haunted by the faces of those she had killed or those who had stalked her intent on murder, but Gale had not been _there_ and Peeta had. For that, he would never truly forgive himself.

A successive attempt to rescue the other tributes from the Capitol had been made not long after Gale had left the hospital wing following his surgery. Both Katniss and Gale had been banned from the mission by Plutarch, much to the relief of their families. The ten men who had volunteered for the mission had never returned home and just a few days later, spurred on by information likely fed to them by their new hostages, the Capitol had launched its most vicious attack on 13 since the rebellion had begun. Hovercrafts and stockpiled weapons had been destroyed along with several areas of the underground District. Men, women and children had lost their lives in countless numbers. The Everdeen and Hawthorne families were among those spared, having reached the shelters quickly after the siren had first sounded. Plutarch and Boggs had not been quite so fortunate, and with their deaths the rebellion had been dealt another, significant blow.

Several days of intense bombing had ended as abruptly as it had begun. Coin, emotionally destroyed by the atrocities and losses that had been inflicted upon her people, had not thought twice before retaliating. Hovercrafts loaded with the majority of their remaining weaponry had been deployed to the Capitol, and weapons munitions factories had been blown to smithereens.

It had been difficult but, whilst Katniss had been trying to harden her heart to the violence that occurred around her, images of Peeta, smiling and well as he followed in Snow's footsteps like a lap dog, had suddenly started to dominate the Capitol transmissions. Any surviving shreds of loyalty and concern that Katniss had once felt for her friend, the boy with the bread, had been well and truly obliterated.

"Citizens of Panem," Peeta stated, his tone ringing authoritatively as he addressed the camera directly, a half smile playing across his lips, "today marks the dawning of a new era."

The whispers and hisses passed between the tables of diners suddenly gave way to an eerie kind of hush, and even Briar directed her attention to the screen. She tugged at Gale's sleeve, her expression curious.

"Who's that man, Daddy?" Briar demanded, her voice echoing around the room. Every pair of eyes were suddenly focused on the Mockingjay, and Katniss felt the bile rising in the back of her throat. She gripped the edge of the table, struggling to regulate her own breathing and retain the calm, collected air that had come to be expected of her. From across the room, Coin gazed at her through sympathetic eyes.

"He's nobody, little duck. Nobody you need to be worried about, okay?" Katniss reassured her daughter, watching as Briar took a moment to digest the information before she bit into her second bread roll.

Gale leaned down, brushing a kiss to the top of his daughter's head, and she grinned through a mouthful of food, oblivious to the tension in the room.

Katniss' thoughts quickly drifted to the ramifications of the situation; they would have to respond in kind to the transmission to show a united front against the new face of the Capitol's dictatorship. Her former 'relationship' with Peeta would likely bring her under intense scrutiny from the leaders of the rebel aligned Districts, but her greatest fear was that Peeta's fight against the rebellion might now become personal.

Shaking herself from her reverie, Katniss returned her eyes to the screen. She reached blindly around Briar's back and sought out Gale's hand, and he wordlessly enclosed it within his own.

Peeta appeared to have breezed through the pleasantries of his broadcast, and had set about establishing and announcing the plans he had for the city, and for the fractured, warring country he had inherited.

"I know these are dark times for us all. I grieve for your losses, and I am truly sorry that so many of you have fallen under the thrall of a young woman who would see you all suffer for her own foolish ends. I…" he paused for dramatic effect and cast his eyes momentarily to the ground, "I thought I knew Katniss Everdeen, but I was taken in just as all of you have been- taken in by her lies and self-serving defiance. I will do my best to help you, to return this country to its former glory. To restore order and peace once more so that we may all live in harmony, with the Capitol restored to its rightful place at the heart of this land. But do not mistake my compassion for weakness; the rebellion will be defeated, make no mistake. This plague of willful defiance will be swept from the landscape, by any force _I_ deem necessary."

A wave of hushed voices crested over the room and Katniss watched the expressions of those assembled turn swiftly from shock to renewed anger. If Peeta was lacking one particular leadership skill, it was political savvy. He had never lived as the people surrounding Katniss had lived; as she and her family once had – starving, afraid, and facing a future filled with uncertainties. He could never understand how it felt to be at the bottom of the food chain- oppressed and terrorised into submission.

"But…" he continued, "there is one way we can bring this terrible, terrible situation to an end without further loss of life on either side."

The camera panned closer to this face, and his expression darkened significantly as he demanded, "Surrender the Mockingjay."

Katniss' mouth dropped open and she felt the blood drain from her face. In an instant, her worst fears had been confirmed and she was no longer under any illusions that Peeta's speech was about the rebellion or even Panem - it was about her, even after so many years had elapsed.

"As of today, there is a reward offered to whomsoever can provide information or assistance that leads to the capture of Katniss Everdeen. Think of your family, think of your children, think of yourselves. Is this any way to live? You know what you have to do. A full pardon will be granted to each rebelling District, so long as the Mockingjay is delivered to me."

Gale was on his feet almost immediately, his features contorted with rage as he stared at the screen with unbridled hatred.

"Son of a bitch…" he snarled, momentarily forgetting himself and the presence of his child.

"Gale…" Katniss warned, casting a meaningful glance down at their daughter, who was peering up at her father with a distinct air of confusion surrounding her. Gale immediately slipped his mask of composure back into place, shooting Briar an apologetic smile.

The room had erupted into a steady stream of loud and disruptive chatter, and Katniss could barely hear herself think in the resultant din. She raked her hands through her hair, hardly caring that she was half destroying her usual braid in the process, causing hair to escape its confines in unruly handfuls.

She barely noticed Effie and Haymitch join them, the former distracting Briar with animated conversation whilst the latter spoke quietly in Gale's ear. Katniss watched with a strange sense of detachment washing over her as her old mentor whispered to her husband, and Gale's jaw tensed in fury at whatever Haymitch had seen fit to tell him. There was a sudden darkness present in his eyes that Katniss recognised immediately from their time back in District 12; it had been the same look that had overtaken him when he had dragged Prim away from her on the day of the reaping, and when he had been bound to the whipping post for interfering with the Peacekeepers' attempt to beat down their friends. The next thing Katniss knew, Gale's arm was sliding through hers and he was leading her towards the canteen exit, which Coin had already started out towards with purpose in her eyes.

"Coin's calling an emergency meeting," Gale mumbled, hating that every pair of eyes in the room was now focused on his wife.

Katniss nodded, watching as other key members of military personnel rose from their seats and followed behind them. Silence fell over the canteen and suddenly only the voices of young children were audible. The screen on the wall had long since grown dark and the insignia of District 13 had replaced Peeta's hardened features, but many still continued to stare at the monitor as though haunted by what they had just witnessed.

Slipping her arm free of Gale's, Katniss instead reached for his hand, interlocking their fingers so tightly that her knuckles whitened.

They continued through the hallways until they reached the control room, but Gale's finger stilled over the keypad and he instead turned to face the woman beside him.

Gale lifted their joined hands to his chest, forcing Katniss to hold his gaze. The fear he saw reflected in her eyes made his heart ache and only served to remind him of times that he had thought long past.

"I will never let him hurt you," he promised, widening his eyes to communicate the sincerity behind his vow.

Katniss nodded, glancing through the reinforced glass in the door to check for observers, before she lifted herself on tip toe and snatched a brief kiss.

"We've got work to do," she stated, her tone all business as her fear for her family overcame her and a steely resolve settled across her features. She tapped in the code that would open the door to command and marched ahead, Gale following in her wake, ever the watchful presence. They moved past monitors and work stations, straight to the back of the room, where several doorways that led to meeting rooms were positioned. The door to the largest room was ajar and Katniss could see uniformed men and women sliding into chairs behind the table, grave expressions affixed on their faces.

Coin and her advisers were already positioned around the large oval table, and Gale felt the eyes of General Finch upon him before he had even stepped fully into the briefing room being used to accommodate the meeting. He threw his hand up in a half-hearted salute, his usual diligence effected somewhat by the images that had just been relayed from the Capitol. The General nodded nonetheless, willing to overlook Captain Hawthorne's uncharacteristic sloppiness on account of the shock still dominating the young man's features.

"Please sit down," Coin insisted, gesturing to two empty chairs positioned at the bottom of the table. Katniss swallowed hard and wordlessly obeyed, settling onto the edge of her chair and laying her hands palm side down on the surface of the table. Gale deliberately brushed his shoulder against hers, a silent reminder of his proximity and support.

"I want to thank you all for coming here at such short notice," Coin began, pausing as she directed a look at Katniss, "and I want to assure you that the new president's demands will be treated by all in District 13 with as much disdain as his predecessor's."

"I need to go on the air," Katniss blurted out, forgoing any formalities or debate, "the Districts need to see us respond."

Coin surveyed those seated around the table, finding that each one nodded their agreement; all except for Gale, who remained still and silent.

"Captain Hawthorne?" Coin roused him from his thoughts, arching an eyebrow as she leaned her hand on the table and awaited his opinion.

Katniss turned to regard her husband, almost sensing his objection to putting her in the public eye and, perhaps more importantly, the eye of the Capitol and its crazed new leader.

But when Gale lifted his head to speak, she found him instead agreeing with her.

"We need to assemble the leaders of the allied Districts. If Katniss goes on air, she can't be seen to stand alone. We're not the only ones in this fight, and we're not the only ones who stand to lose everything if the Capitol win this damn war."

Katniss offered her husband a small, fragile smile of thanks before she turned back to their own leader, her decision set.

"I'll do whatever you need, under one condition," she stated, licking her lips as she waited for Coin to respond.

The older woman's mouth twisted into a weary yet understanding smile as she regarded her Mockingjay; the girl she had actually grown quite fond of over time.

"There's always a condition, Katniss," she replied, nodding as she added, "name it and as usual we'll do our best to accommodate."

Katniss gulped, her fear suddenly discernible in her body language as her hands began to tremble.

"I need to know that the Capitol won't find out about Briar," she said, shooting a glance at Gale, who returned her concerned look. "More so than ever now, if they know about her, she'll become a weapon to use against me."

"That's always been a concern of ours, Katniss," Coin replied, her eyes softening as she regarded the worried young mother, and recalled when she had been the very same. "As always, we will do our best to ensure that doesn't happen."

Katniss shook her head, silencing Coin suddenly as she interjected, "If he finds out, I need to know that I'll be allowed to do whatever it takes to… to make sure they can't hurt her."

President Coin narrowed her eyes thoughtfully and folded her arms across her chest as she regarded the Mockingjay. "Are you talking about assassinating the president of Panem, Katniss?"

Katniss shrugged, her thoughts firmly settled on her young daughter as her jaw set in determination, "If it comes down to that, then yes. I am."

Coin inhaled slowly, her tone uncertain as she queried, "And are you sure you would be capable of that? Given your… complicated _history_ with Peeta Mellark?"

The president stared at the girl intently, recalling how desperate Katniss had been to keep Peeta alive upon first arriving in the District. She wasn't sure exactly how much of the Capitol love story had been fabricated, nor did she doubt Katniss' affection for her husband, but she knew that she would need to be certain that if it should come down to it, Katniss would not hesitate. Just one second of misplaced mercy could cost the Mockingjay her life, and thus bring down the entire rebellion in the process.

Katniss' expression darkened and she cast a fleeting glance at Gale, who had averted his gaze to the floor. The fact that he was still so obviously unnerved by Peeta's presence, however sinister it may be, made Katniss unspeakably angry; angry at the Capitol for forcing her to lie from the very beginning that she had felt anything for Peeta other than indifference or at the very most, friendship.

"This is my daughter we're talking about. You better believe I'd take the shot," Katniss snarled, suddenly climbing to her feet as if declaring the meeting at an end. She paused to regard the men assembled around the table, her voice cold as she ordered, "Make the necessary arrangements."

Turning on her heel with a confidence that she did not feel, Katniss strode out of the meeting room, her arms swinging at her sides as though she were headed towards some as of yet decided purpose. Once she emerged in the corridor outside of the command centre, she continued walking until she had rounded the corner and reached a section of hallway that had been closed off with a metal gate. It had once led to the old school rooms, which had been obliterated by the Capitol bombing, thankfully outside of school hours. The corridor now served as a dead end, leading nowhere, and was thus never usually occupied by anything other than the rats that scurried around 13 occasionally. Finally, Katniss' shoulders slumped and she slid down the hard, stone wall, ignoring the jagged rocks that stuck into her lower back and spine.

Her head dropped into her hands and Katniss sucked in a deep breath, before finally yanking the elastic band out of her ruined braid and allowing her hair to fall around her shoulders. As her hair fell forward in a curtain that obscured her face, Katniss felt her bottom lip tremble, threatening an onslaught of tears that she gritted her teeth against. She would not cry. The Capitol had stolen enough tears from her to last a lifetime, and she was determined they would have no more.

"Katniss?"

She heard Gale whisper her name only seconds before she felt his hands rest either side of her head, and then she found her face being gently inclined upwards towards his.

"I'm okay," she replied instinctively, the trembling of her hands suggesting otherwise.

"No, you're not," he said simply, crouching down in front of her and sweeping his eyes over her face.

Katniss opened her mouth to make a feeble attempt to argue, yet even as she tried to muster the strength to protest, she found herself dissolving into a series of heaving sobs. Gale enveloped her in his arms, his hand curving around the back of her neck as he clutched her to his chest and allowed her to cry as he knew she needed to; without words, without judgement, without well-meaning platitudes.

Katniss gripped the sleeve of his shirt, lifting her tear streaked face to meet his, "If anything happens to me, Gale, promise me that you and Briar…"

Gale shook his head and silenced her quickly by pressing his lips to hers. He kissed her hard until he felt her surrender into his body, hoping that he could force her mind to give up the morbid tangent.

Drawing back only for a moment, Katniss slid her hand around the back of Gale's neck and dragged him closer, this time initiating a kiss that rendered them both breathless.

Gale scattered kisses across her cheeks and temple, drawing her closer as he replied firmly, "I've loved you since I was 14 years old and I'm gonna love you until I'm 104… that was the deal, remember?"

"I remember," Katniss whispered, her features alive with a sincere smile as she recalled the plans they had made years before for a life together; a life after the war had ended, with a cottage in the woods and green meadows where they could watch their children play.

"We will win this," Gale stated, his tone hard and cold, and leaving no room for argument. Katniss only nodded, waiting for Gale to seat himself at her side before she rested her head on his shoulder and let out a sigh. She felt a kind of quiet peace descend around them, and she wondered if it was the calm before the storm that people so often talked about.

With their hands intertwined in Katniss' lap, the couple sat in complete silence, allowing the minutes to tick by uninterrupted, their thoughts concentrated on the sudden uncertainty of their future.

Finally, Katniss broke the stillness, her voice quivering tellingly as she inquired, "Gale, do you… I mean, you know how much I love you, right?"

"Of course, Catnip," he replied, inclining his head in order to place a soft kiss in the centre of her dark waves. She closed her eyes momentarily, stealing a breath before she pressed on.

"What do you think happened to him?" she asked, her voice quiet and bearing an undertone of bewilderment, "why would he make that kind of choice? Betray his family, his District… his friends?"

Gale mulled over her question, scanning the dark corridor before he shook his head, unable to comprehend the possible answer to her question. Nothing could have made him betray his family; family was everything and it was unimaginable to Gale to have made the same choice that Peeta apparently had. Gale would rather die than betray those who loved him.

"I don't know," he answered honestly, "I can't imagine choosing the Capitol... playing their sick games and enjoying it the way he seems to. But… but I guess we don't know what he went through."

Katniss studied his face intently, grinning despite the seriousness of their current predicament as she recognised the doubt and insincerity written there.

"Or…" she punched him playfully on the arm, "you can tell me what you really think."

Gale laughed, shaking his head as he realised it was futile to ever try to get anything past his wife.

"Or… the guy's always had it in him and we were all too taken in by the easy smiles and mild-mannered act he put on for the Capitol. Peeta's a showman, Katniss. He knows how to work an audience, and that makes him dangerous." He paused, sighing heavily as he added, "Not to mention the fact he was in love with you. Probably still is."

"I don't think you need to worry about that, Gale," Katniss replied, rolling her eyes as she scoffed, "he pretty much just asked the entire country for my head on a platter. That's not usually a big turn on for a girl."

"You know what I mean," Gale replied, his tone serious despite the teasing smile that Katniss wore in an effort to lighten the mood. "He's used to calling the shots now. Whatever the president of Panem wants, he gets. You better believe he wants you in the Capitol for a reason."

"Oh I do," Katniss countered, her expression suddenly growing somber again as she regarded her husband, "he knows that the only way to end this rebellion, this war, is to make an example of me. We both know what my fate will be if I end up in the Capitol, Gale."

Gale fell silent, swallowing hard as his wife's words reverberated almost painfully in his ears, the truth behind them seizing his heart in a vice like grip.

"I'm not afraid of Peeta or the Capitol," Katniss said, pushing her hair behind her ears and sighing, "but I'm afraid for you, and for our family. Sometimes I wonder if it wouldn't be better to just give them what they want if it means you'd all be safe."

Gale's expression became incredulous, and his tone was tainted with anger as he climbed to his feet and held his hand out to her, "Seriously, Katniss? You'd throw all of this away? The life we have together? Our daughter? She needs you. She needs her mother. _I need you_ …"

Katniss accepted his outstretched hand and climbed to her feet, feeling instantly ashamed of herself for the panic stricken look playing across Gale's features.

"You know I wouldn't," she amended softly, cupping his jaw and directing his eyes to hers, "when have I ever given up?! You know me better than that, Gale. You know me better than anyone."

Gale wordlessly reached out and pulled her into an embrace that was perhaps more for his own comfort than for hers.

"There's so much more to lose this time," Katniss murmured fearfully, holding on to Gale with the same ferocity that he held her.

She closed her eyes as she pressed her face into the warm skin of his neck, and his hands swept comforting circles across her back. His breath drifted across her cheek as he lowered his head to her ear, his tone suddenly certain and resolved.

"But so much more to _fight_ for."


	5. Lies, Deception, & Half Truths

Gleeful laughter echoed down the usually somber and dark hallways as Gale Hawthorne headed toward the medical wing of District 13 with his four year old daughter tucked securely under his arm.

Briar squealed with delight from her horizontal position in her father's arms, and she shrieked with renewed amusement every time he pretended to almost drop her.

"Daddy, again!" she demanded, dark brown plaits dangling as she was carried carefully toward their destination, where she was to spend the afternoon with her grandmother and the person she perhaps loved most after her parents - her Aunt Prim.

Setting the little girl down on her feet, Gale bent down to speak to her, his blue-grey eyes boring in to her identical orbs in a gentle demand to be listened to.

"Now Briar, you need to stay with Grandma and Aunt Prim. No wandering off!" he said kindly but firmly, "you stay with them until Mommy and I come to get you later on, okay?"

"Okay Daddy," she bobbed her head obediently, "I'll stay with Aunt Pwim."

"That's my girl," he smiled adoringly at his daughter, pressing a kiss against her cheek before lifting her into his arms and blowing a raspberry against her skin that made her giggle and loop her arms around his neck.

Briar landed clumsy kisses against his cheek and hugged him tightly, feeling all at once less excited about leaving her father, no matter how much she enjoyed spending time with her aunt.

"Daddy, can I stay with you and Mommy?" she asked hopefully, and Gale lifted her into his arms and stood up, strolling slowly toward the entrance to the medical wing with Briar on his hip.

"We talked about this, Briar," Gale replied, hiding an amused smile behind a stern expression, "Mommy and I are going to be busy this afternoon."

"Doing grown up stuff?" Briar checked, a frown twisting her rosebud lips downwards.

With a nod, Gale replied, "That's right. Lots of important grown up stuff."

Seeming satisfied, Briar allowed Gale to place her on her feet and grasped his hand, her little fingers weaving around his.

"Hi Gale... I mean, Captain Hawthorne..."

Gale and Briar simultaneously turned at the familiar sounding female voice, the former smiling kindly as he recognised Mona, one of the newer refugees from District 6 who had been assigned to the medical wing under Mrs. Everdeen's tutelage. As a recovering Morphling addict, Mona had been cast out of her district during the uprising that had occurred when the residents had decided to band together to make an effort to turn the ailing district around. A number of addicts and recovering addicts had been forcibly expelled from the district, some finding themselves welcomed in other surrounding districts and placed into rehabilitation programs, whilst others less fortunate were picked up by the Capitol hovercrafts. Mona was one of several who had manage to make their way to 13, and had expressed a desire to help at the heart of the rebellion. Many of the residents of 13 eyed the relative newcomers with unease and distrust, but Gale found himself pitying them, realising that it was a life-changing experience to find yourself forcibly expelled from your home.

"Gale is fine," he replied, his tone gentle as the willowy blonde wrung her hands apparently nervously. She offered him a smile, her eyes sparkling at his sudden and welcome attention.

"Daddy, I want Aunt Pwim," Briar stated, scowling at Mona, who ignored the child, continuing to gaze up at Gale.

"H-how are you?" Mona inquired shyly, her hands dropping to toy with the hem of the hospital apron she wore over her grey smock and shirt. Briar's brow creased and she glared at Mona, her dislike of the woman evident.

"Daddy!" Briar whined, her tone alerting Gale to the fact that she was several seconds away from a full meltdown.

"Briar, remember your manners, okay?" Gale chided gently, staring pointedly at the child who huffed a heavy hearted sigh and bobbed her head in obedience.

"I'm sorry, we're in kind of a hurry," Gale offered the woman a polite smile, and she beamed back at him to show no offence had been taken.

"So you're working here now?" he asked, hoping his surprise at her designated post had not coloured his tone of voice.

He wasn't certain that placing a recovering Morphling addict as a nurse's aide was perhaps the smartest decision, but then he knew how the administration of District 13 worked, and he couldn't help but wonder if it was a test of the young woman's willpower and desire to stay clean.

"Uh yeah. I mean...Yes," she corrected herself, her hands grasping nervously at the straps on her apron. Her gaze was suddenly drawn by the small child at the soldier's side, and she watched as the little girl hugged her arms around her father's leg in a gesture that seemed oddly territorial for one so tiny.

Mona cast her eyes analytically over the child, and she quirked an eyebrow as she gestured to her with the warmest smile she could muster, "She looks a lot like you."

Gale grinned automatically in response, always delighted to hear that his features or mannerisms were easily discernible in his adored daughter, no matter his own views on the subject.

Reaching down to place his hand atop of Briar's head, his smile only widened as she stared up at him with equal adoration; and more than a little impatience.

"This little beauty?" he began, as a wistful look overcame him and he found his thoughts drifting, as they were prone to do, to the woman he had fallen in love with all those years ago. He shook his head slowly, lifting Briar's chin and stroking his thumb down her chubby cheek, "No. She's all her Momma."

Mona had barely opened her mouth to respond when Briar suddenly let out a loud gasp and propelled herself clear across the room, her arms flung wide and a squeal spilling from her lips. She ran straight into the outstretched arms of a familiar tall, blonde woman, who flung herself onto her knees to greet the child.

"There's my little one!" Primrose said, her voice filled with warmth and exaggerated excitement as she allowed Briar to melt into her waiting arms.

"I missed you, Auntie Pwim," Briar cried, her features illuminated by the strength of her smile, which was the widest it had been all day since waking.

"Well, I missed you too, of course," Prim returned, straightening up and extending her hand to Briar, who latched onto her aunt's fingers immediately. Prim started over towards Gale, her smile only slightly dampened down as she moved to greet her brother in law.

"What about me? Did you miss me?" Gale teased, unable to resist the opportunity and knowing that Prim was still too good natured to ever be fazed by friendly teasing.

Prim only grinned, shaking her head as she bent to stage whisper to Briar, "Don't tell Daddy that I missed you the most, okay?"

Solemnly, Briar nodded, although a thoroughly pleased smile wound its way onto her lips as she regarded her father and aunt in turn.

Mona, who had yet to move from the spot in front of Gale, cast a wary glance in Prim's direction before adjusting her apron in an almost self conscious gesture.

"I guess I better get back to work," she said quietly, her eyes raised momentarily to Gale as she added, "maybe I'll s-see you later, Gale."

Gale and Primrose exchanged pointed glances, and he shot his sister in-law a reassuring look that told her he had not been blind to Mona's slightly love-sick demeanour.

Hooking his thumb back in the direction of the hallway he had just walked down, Gale offered her a polite smile, "I should get back to my wife."

Mona's smile faltered, not going unnoticed by Gale, who had pointedly chosen the more evocative word of 'wife' over using Katniss' name.

"Right," Mona nodded, shrinking back as Primrose swept up the giggling Briar and began to pepper her cheek with kisses, "I should... I should get back to organising the store cupboard."

Primrose watched the young nursing assistant with interest, noting that she had made no attempt to move. Hoisting her niece up into her arms in a subconsciously protective gesture, she made a mental note to keep a closer eye on the new arrival.

"Be good for Aunt Prim, okay?" Gale widened his eyes as he gazed down at his daughter, and she nodded solemnly in reply.

"I pwomise, Daddy," she continued to nod her head emphatically, grinning from ear to ear as her father bent his head to kiss her cheek,.

"Love you, ladybug," Gale said softly, finding her miniature smile infectious.

"Love you too, Daddy," Briar whispered, although her childish attempt at a whisper was comically loud enough for all to discern.

With a final backward glance, Gale strode from the medical wing, leaving the double doors gently swinging behind him as he disappeared down the corridor. He knew that the leaders of the other districts had already arrived and were doubtlessly waiting for him in the larger of the conference rooms, and he subconsciously quickened his pace as he realised that he would probably be the last one to arrive.

As it happened, he slid into his seat next to Katniss only moments before Coin meandered into the room, her white hair pulled back in a tight bun and a clipboard clutched in her hands. Her smile was fleeting and pinched, and she did not bother to occupy her own usual seat at the head of the table, instead choosing to stand in front of the large monitor that was affixed to the wall adjacent to the door.

"I want to thank you all for being here at such short notice," President Coin began, pausing to nod at each of the faces seated around the table in turn. "I know it's no easy feat, given the times we're in."

Gale started as he felt a small hand slowly and shyly slip underneath his, and he glanced to the side to find Katniss peering at him, her slate grey eyes wide. Reassuringly, he squeezed her fingers, a silent gesture of support and understanding, before he turned back to regard the president.

"We were hoping that coming together today will enable us to share valuable intel. gathered by the rebellion spanning the districts, as well as perhaps come up with a strategy to deal with the new presidents more... interesting demands," Coin continued, her eyes sliding surreptitiously to Katniss as she spoke the latter half of her explanation.

From around the table, the leaders of Districts 4, 6 and 11 all exchanged pointed glances, and Gale watched their faces closely to try to discern their views on the rather pressing matter at hand.

The leader of District 11, a large, imposing dark skinned man offered Katniss a friendly smile, and he waved his hand as if to dismiss the demands of President Mellark as nothing more than an inconvenience.

His voice was rich and deep, and he chuckled in mild amusement as he spoke.

"We intend to treat the demands of the new President in much the same way we did the last. They are... inconsequential to the folks in our district. As always, Madam President..." he nodded at Coin and then turned his gaze to the Mockingjay, "Katniss... our loyalties remain with you and the rebellion."

Katniss returned his smile with genuine appreciation, knowing that her brief and yet very real friendship with Rue had cemented a true, unyielding alliance between their districts. District 13 had no truer allies than her comrades in 11 and that seemed unlikely to change.

"Thank you," Katniss spoke softly, watching with relief as the other two leaders nodded in agreement.

Gale felt Katniss slowly relax, and the vice like grip on his hand subsided a little. He brushed his thumb over her fingertips, finding her hand was now devoid of the band on her wedding finger. He too had hastily removed his own ring, depositing it carefully in his breast pocket for safekeeping. As far as the other districts were concerned, Gale was simply Katniss' bodyguard and head of security, and it was a role he had learned to play out of necessity.

The private life of the Mockingjay could be used to exploit her, and Coin and the inner circle of District 13 went to great lengths to depict Katniss Everdeen as nothing but a soldier and the face of the rebellion.

"So far we know very little about President Mellark's plans other than what he chose to reveal to us in his recent broadcast," Coin said, her tone sour as she turned to face the monitor at her back. Immediately, a serious of typed notes appeared on the screen and Gale felt Katniss straighten up in her seat at his side.

"We're currently working off the assumption that he is using this time to regroup," Coin explained, a frown twitching at her lips as she continued, "Snow's death, whilst not wholly unexpected, came at a difficult time for the Capitol. They're still in the process of rebuilding and their current recruitment numbers for Peacekeepers are at an all time low. No doubt Mellark will make their dwindling military numbers a priority."

Katniss shifted in her seat, her eyes glued to the screen as she watched a summary of Coin's words swirl into being there. She fought the urge to shudder, unwilling to admit even to herself that the sight of Peeta as the new head of the Capitol had unnerved her.

During the Games, he had been her biggest ally and her last link to home. She had believed that they had forged an unbreakable friendship in the heat of the battle and the midst of the blood that had been shed, and yet the man had turned his back so easily on her all those years ago. Katniss found herself wondering just how much of the boy he had presented to her had been a lie, and just what she could bring to the table in regards to information on Peeta.

"Our people on the inside would agree, I think," the woman from District 4 confirmed with a subtle nod of her head. "Rumour has it that Mellark is pushing through a conscription law. We believe that if it goes ahead without much opposition, they'll be opening a new training centre to deal with the sudden influx of new recruits."

"Conscription law?" Gale repeated, taking a moment to digest this information before he continued on, "not exactly going to make him Mr. Popularity with the Capitol and Districts 1 and 2. That's a pretty dangerous move from a new President."

"He doesn't care," Katniss said quietly, and all eyes were suddenly drawn to the young woman as she lifted her gaze from the table top and regarded them all in turn, "this isn't about popularity, he doesn't care about winning them over any more. This is about revenge. Against the rebels... me... and the Capitol. This is about power, he's taking back control."

President Coin nodded before resting her chin on the tip of her clasped palms and eyeing each of the assembled leaders in turn.

"She's right. This is personal, which makes Mellark perhaps even more dangerous than his predecessor."

Gale leant back in his seat, casting a concerned gaze on his wife before he met the eyes of the President, "But that's gotta work against him too, right? He's an unknown variable right now to the folks in the Capitol. They're war weary, they're beaten down, and this guy's too arrogant to realise that now's not the time to quit playing to the crowd. He starts issuing executive orders and drafting kids, there's gonna be an uprising. And we've got the one thing he hasn't; an alliance, a common cause."

Katniss stared down at the wooden table before her, her thoughts muddied with images of reapings and the bloodied faces of children too young to have ever been thrust into such horror. Peeta had been taken from his home, at the time, an innocent in the Capitol's power play with the districts. But now the tables had turned; for 75 years the Capitol had taken the nation's children, and now he would take theirs.

The leader from District 4 smiled briefly at his summation, before she gestured toward the woman beside him and noted with an arched brow how the young soldier's eyes were never far from her pretty face.

"And of course, Captain Hawthorne, you forget to mention the most powerful weapon in this rebellion. We have the Mockingjay. Defectors from the Capitol are already arriving in our District. Katniss has made quite an impression on young minds these last few years."

Katniss seemed disturbed at the notion, still intensely hating the role she played in calling young people to arms, and placing them and their families in increased danger. The country was at war, but she was loathed to be the catalyst that summoned anyone to their death. Video footage from the districts frequently showed casualties of Capitol bombing raids that were now limited to the few districts that remained within the reach of the government's dwindling arsenal. Men, women, and children - all victims, and all weighing heavily on Katniss' conscience.

Briar's smiling face quickly invaded her thoughts, and she found herself wondering if her tiny daughter would ever know a life outside of the bunkers and military drills into which she had been born.

Gale's hand slipped discretely over his wife's, and she glanced up sharply to meet his gaze and offered him a watery smile of reassurance.

"So..." the leader from District 11 folded his arms across his chest and widened his eyes in anticipation, "let's give Mellark something to chew on, shall we?"

The group rose from the table with renewed purpose, and Katniss shrank back to allow the leaders of 11 and 6 to confer with President Coin. Gale walked a few paces ahead of her, conscious that their interactions could not give way to suspicion.

Feeling a hand land lightly on her shoulder, Katniss started and released a hiss of surprise. She turned to find the leader of District 4, Lyra Trupp, ambling beside her with a strangely amused grin spread across her features.

The woman's eyes creased as she smiled, and she inclined her head closer to Katniss' as if to divulge some great secret. Her sky blue irises shone with mirth, and she removed her spectacles from the bridge of her nose as she leant in, speaking in barely above a whisper.

"I think that young man is quite fond of you," she nodded toward Gale's back, beaming up at him as he chose that moment to turn around and regard the two women with apparent confusion. "He can barely take his eyes off you."

"We're old friends," Katniss replied reflexively, forcing a smile in place so as not to come across as too abrasive in her response.

The leader of 4 cocked her head and smirked almost conspiratorially at Katniss before slipping her arm through the younger woman's.

"That may be so but I'm no fool, Katniss," Lyra replied quietly, her fingers squeezing Katniss' bicep gently in a gesture that the Mockingjay could construe as either comforting or threatening. Instinctively, she found herself assuming the latter and her body was immediately tense.

"I don't know what y..." Katniss began, her mouth snapping closed as the woman walking at her side let out a bout of amused laughter, shaking her head as they continued along the corridors together.

"You don't need to worry about me," she stated, her tone firm and leaving no room for argument, "I know where my allegiances lie and that is most definitely not with the Capitol. You have nothing to fear from my district."

"Good to know," Katniss quietly countered, her eyes drifting to Gale's back as he walked in front of them. She watched the muscles in his shoulders ripple as his arms swung slightly at his sides, his gait strong and decisive. He fit the role that he had been cast in well, but Katniss had always known there was a chance that their facade would be discovered sooner or later. In fact, she was remarkably surprised that it had been later rather than sooner.

"I see it in the way you look at him too, like he holds the stars and hangs the moon," Lyra murmured, deliberately maintaining a low tone, "it's quite refreshing amid all this anger and bloodshed."

Katniss remained silent, half lost in her own thoughts and half rendered speechless by the other woman's observations.

"You should hold onto it, you know," she continued, her voice growing almost jovial now, "there's plenty in this world of ours that can beat you down and not much left that can lift you up, except of course for love."

"Like I said, we're just friends," Katniss lied, wondering just how alarmed she should be at the woman's intuition and powers of observation.

"Alright dear, whatever you say," she winked kindly, patting Katniss' arm before she moved from her side and caught up with President Coin and the other leaders. Turning to cast a quick glance back at Gale, Lyra caught his eye.

"Don't lose your chance there, young man. She likes you!"

Gale nodded, uncertain of exactly what it was he was agreeing with, but deciding that investigating further would probably be unwise.

Waiting until the other district leaders had been shepherded into the control room, Katniss caught up with her husband, who was wearing a comically smug expression.

"So... you like me, huh?" he teased, making sure to keep his voice low so others couldn't overhear. He nudged her shoulder and she rolled her eyes at the mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

"No. Not at all," Katniss dead-panned.

Gale chuckled and the low rumble that reverberated from his chest made Katniss smile. Slipping her hand behind her back, Gale followed her lead and slid his own hand around to meet hers. Threading their fingers together, the couple walked down the hallway, exchanging affectionate and not entirely innocent glances that sent a pleasant shiver to the pit of Katniss' stomach.

"You ready?" he asked, as they drew to a halt outside the sound stage adjacent to the control room that had been constructed solely for the Mockingjay's broadcasts.

"I guess," she murmured, steeling herself and taking a deep breath as she unwillingly released his hand and opened the heavy steel door to the studio, before stepping into the chaos of the prep team's lighting and sound tests.


	6. Lost But Not Forgotten Dreams

Even after all the years that had passed, her voice was still as familiar to his ear as though he had last heard it only yesterday. It set every last one of his nerves on edge and Peeta found that his fury burned through his body like wild fire, causing his skin to tingle almost painfully. He ground his teeth together reflexively whenever she spoke his name, not caring that he was ruining months of expensive Capitol dentistry in the process. Instead, he gestured to the empty tumbler that sat on the night stand at his side and waited impatiently for the painted Capitol whore that occupied the other side of his bed to refill it from the decanter she clutched. When she failed to move fast enough, Peeta growled at her and ripped it from her hands. He poured his own drink with a sneer, eyes still trained on the face of the Mockingjay as she spoke to the camera, taunting him with her weak rebellion promises.

More than a little nervous in the new President's company, the woman sat quietly and obediently back against the mound of pillows, drawing the covers up to shield her naked breasts from view. Peeta barely seemed to note her presence any longer, instead far too focused on the figure of Katniss, who almost seemed to hold the viewer in her steely eyed, determined gaze.

As the propo. drew to an end, and Katniss Everdeen signed off with the usual District 12 salute that had by now become synonymous with the rebellion, Peeta knocked back his latest glass of liquor and drained it. He drank more and more these days, since the death of Snow. He wasn't exactly sure as to why this was, but he assumed it had something to do with the loss of the one person he had finally come to trust to never dress up the truth with lies they assumed he might want to hear. Snow had been nothing if not brutally honest with Peeta, even before the Games had begun. He had always known where he stood in the old President's sights, and that had been what Peeta had ultimately come to respect most about the man.

He tested the weight of the empty tumbler in his hand as his thoughts drifted once more to the Mockingjay. Whilst his mentor had continually instilled in him a deep loathing and contempt for the rebellion and its infamous figurehead, Peeta couldn't help but wonder what might have been.

Occasionally he allowed himself to daydream, conjuring up in his mind a world where Katniss had not been rescued from the arena, but where instead he had been given the precious time he needed to secure her real affections. Perhaps they would have been victorious over the other tributes; perhaps Katniss would now be beside him, the first lady of Panem, and they would have been united in their common desire for revenge and by a love Peeta had coveted since he had first spied Katniss back in the drudgery of District 12.

But Katniss had never really been his for the taking. Her affections were a desperate ploy for survival and, although Peeta had tried to turn their friendship into something more, he knew that deep down the young woman's heart had belonged to someone else.

So it was with great satisfaction that Peeta remembered the fate that had befallen Gale Hawthorne, and it brought him even more pleasure that he had been the indirect catalyst of the young man's death. Images of Gale - bloodied and face contorted in pain - were a soothing balm to the jealousy that still ripped through Peeta's heart.

Of course, eight years later, he assumed Katniss' grief had subsided. She certainly seemed vibrant enough in her broadcasts and, though it pained him to observe, the young woman still possessed an unassuming beauty that held him transfixed. A pair of Seam grey eyes haunted his thoughts far too frequently, and the Capitol prostitutes were a poor substitute even with the lurid fantasies he paid them to facilitate.

With a discontented sigh, his upper lip curved into a snarl and he hurled the glass against the bedroom wall. The woman beside him watched the dregs of amber liquid trickle down the wall with horrified eyes. He gathered a robe from the bottom of the bed and pulled it hurriedly around his shoulders.

"You can go," he spat, dismissing the dark haired girl without so much as casting a glance in her direction.

She awaited no further instruction and scrambled to gather up her discarded clothes, pushing her braid behind her shoulder as she pulled on her dress then her shoes. She made her escape with her underwear clenched in her fist, and the door closed behind her with the gentlest of clicks.

Peeta stared around the room, his stomach turning in disgust at the sight of the crumpled sheets. Striding toward the screen on the wall, he ripped the unit free and hurled it to the ground in temper. It exploded in a shower of glass and angry sparks, and Peeta grunted as a high, lilting voice mocked him from within his own mind.

' _Fire is catching.'_

The sparks bounced and skittered across the tiled floor before extinguishing themselves, although Peeta's eyes never left the spot where they died.

Breathing deeply and erratically, he took a moment to ground himself - to imagine how Snow would chide him for his tantrum, if he were present. No; it would do no good to simply stew and wallow in old memories. Snow would call for action, not reaction, and Peeta forced himself to remember as much as he all but crawled back over to the bed.

Flinging himself down in the centre of the mattress, and spreading his arms wide either side of his body, Peeta closed his eyes and basked in the stillness. He would do well to remember that the 'might have beens' belonged firmly to yesterday, and tomorrow called for a whole other manner of thinking.

With a smile that reflected a twisted sort of serenity, Peeta began to drift towards a deep yet far from peaceful slumber, where his dreams would be painted by the blood of the Mockingjay and all those she held dear.

**x-x-x**

The woods were quiet and still, and only the occasional breeze shaking the branches of the tall, willowy trees shattered the almost perfect silence the lovers found themselves cocooned in.

With their little daughter safely in her grandmother's care, Gale had insisted upon taking Katniss out above ground that evening. The demands of the day and the news their meeting had revealed weighed on the shoulders of the Mockingjay, and Katniss had been in an quietly contemplative mood all evening.

But now, as the pair lay on a mound of blankets, tucked away in a clearing beneath a sky full of stars, a sense of peace had again begun to descend upon her.

Katniss released a small yet contented sigh, as she used her husband's broad chest for a pillow and traced the map of the starlit sky across his stomach. Gale's lips brushed the top of her head and she smiled up at him in reply, listening for the familiar sounds of the forest. The breeze rustled the leaves and ghosted across her skin, warm and gentle. For once she felt perfectly at home, wrapped in her husband's arms in a world that had always belonged to them.

She glanced up as she felt Gale shift suddenly beneath her, and she watched as he reached behind him to pluck a yellow petaled flower from the grass that surrounded the tree trunk.

"I promised Briar we'd pick her some wild flowers," Katniss stated, suddenly recalling her earlier conversation with their daughter, who had felt irrevocably slighted by her parents' sudden need for 'grown-up time'.

"Mmm-hmm," Gale murmured, examining the flower only briefly before he trailed the petals along the bridge of his wife's nose. Katniss laughed in response and swatted him away, but she held still as he slid the short stalk behind her ear.

Gale couldn't help the adoring smile that settled on his features, as he gazed into her face and recalled the day some seven years before when she had walked towards him in a borrowed white dress, with a crown of flowers in her hair and a smile that still made his heart skip a beat.

"Sap," Katniss accused good-naturedly, rolling above him and propping her chin on her arms.

"Well, I heard a rumour you liked me," he answered with a shrug of his shoulders, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"You shouldn't believe everything you hear, Captain Hawthorne," she replied, feigning indifference even though her grin betrayed her.

Extending one hand, Gale grazed his fingertips gently over the crest of Katniss' cheek. She leaned into his touch and in response let out a soft murmur. Even during her darkest days, the woods had never failed to bring Katniss a sense of peace and calm; to instill her person with the idea that everything would work out in the end the way it was intended to. Whilst Katniss could never claim to know that this would be for the better, she was comforted by the thought nonetheless - the notion that her every move and action were directed by something greater than even the Capitol, and that her purpose would be fulfilled no matter what. Her father had always believed the same, and Katniss recalled him talking to her as a child, when her mother's belly was still swollen by a growing Primrose, and telling her that her new sibling's path was already being mapped. She hadn't truly understood at the time but, after a stint in the Games that rightly should have claimed her life, Katniss thought that she finally knew what her father had meant. She wasn't certain that she believed in a God or anything so seemingly concrete, but she most definitely felt that her path had been directed towards the woodlands in which she lay - in the arms of the man she adored - from the second she had sucked in her first breath.

"Penny for your thoughts," Gale teased, moving his hand to the small of Katniss' back and beginning to draw circles there with his thumb.

"They're worth nowhere near that much," Katniss replied, grinning as she flung herself at Gale and attacked his lips with her own. The kiss was heated; the kind that made Gale's heartbeat hitch and the nape of his neck grow warm. He felt longing sweep through his body only seconds before he choked out a groan at finding Katniss' knee suddenly pressed gently but firmly between his own legs.

She smiled against his lips as he quickly took the hint and rolled her beneath him, their kisses rapidly escalating as hands tugged at the drab, district issue clothing to reveal warm, soft skin. Katniss wound her arms around his neck and hummed in approval as his mouth dragged a path down her throat and then descended between the valley of her breasts. Her hips bucked against his and the resulting groan from her husband made her grin triumphantly.

Arching a dark eyebrow, Katniss bit back a giggle as Gale settled against the cradle of her hips and she slid her hand down his back to press him closer. The tips of their noses touched and Gale brushed tender kisses against her lips whilst she reached up to press her palm to his jaw.

For the time being at least, she was content to lose herself in the moment; to concentrate only on his touch, the scent of his skin, and the plethora of emotions each of his kisses ignited within her.

"You're my favourite person in the world, you know that?" she whispered, as if the weight of the rebellion had momentarily been lifted from her shoulders.

"Well I hope so," chuckled Gale, his eyes locked on hers. He pressed a kiss against her palm before inclining his head and claiming her lips.

Her fingers combed through his hair and, as they broke apart for air, Katniss smiled contemplatively.

"I kind of like this; nobody knowing about 'us'..." she began, sighing airily as his fingers made quick work of the clasp on her bra and she arched into his touch.

"Uh, _okay._.." Gale began, confused yet finding himself torn between investigating further or allowing his lips to follow the path his hand was now slowly mapping across her chest.

Katniss laughed and swatted playfully at his shoulder.

"No, I mean... I like that nobody in the outside world knows, that it's not something they can exploit. It's simple and good and... ours. It's just..."

Gale nodded, his lips inches from hers as he reached for her hand and laced their fingers together until their palms met, "Love."

Katniss peered up at Gale through a fan of dark lashes and, her warm fingers wrapping around the nape of his neck, she dragged him closer to cover his lips with her own again and again. Overheard, the constellations in all their glory provided the perfect backdrop to their lovemaking.

**x-x-x**

Katniss wore her hair loose the next morning, allowing it to cascade down past her shoulders in heavy waves, earning a hum of approval from Gale when he first laid eyes on her as he stepped out of the shower. She had carefully and dutifully weaved the wild flowers they had picked into Briar's single braid, and the deep crimson hues and brilliant oranges stood out perfectly amongst the little girl's curtain of dark hair, making her gasp when she first spied her reflection in the mirror.

The Mockingjay and her family had walked to breakfast hand in hand, Briar chatting ten to the dozen as she fired question after question at her parents about their trip above ground. It was rare that the child was allowed to venture topside, a fact which pained both Gale and Katniss immensely. Although they had grown up under the harsh glare of Capitol rule, they had enjoyed the relative freedom of the countryside and breathed fresh air into their lungs daily, and it brought them both a sense of failure as parents when they considered how very little Briar had felt the warmth of the sun on the crown of her head. They told themselves that, when the rebellion was over and the threat from the Capitol had been squashed, there would be a cottage somewhere in the woods where they would paint the name Hawthorne above a bright blue door.

Katniss smiled absently at the images that idea conjured; of cloudless skies and lush green meadows, where Briar would be free to roam and play, perhaps in time with a sibling or two. They were small dreams, but to Katniss they were everything she had ever wanted. A peaceful and unremarkable existence, filled with love and laughter and the freedom that had evaded her for all of her life.

"Did you two have fun last night?" Hazel inquired, glancing between the couple as they sat side by side on the bench. Katniss cleared her throat, suddenly shaken from her thoughts, and a blush rose up her cheeks as she and Gale exchanged smiles, whilst Hazel and Mrs. Everdeen did likewise.

"Uh, yes. Yes, we did, thank you for taking care of Briar," Katniss answered with an appreciative smile at her mother in-law, who only shrugged as if it was the greatest honour in the world.

"Oh, you know I love having Briar stay over."

Hazel shot her grand-daughter a beaming grin which the child eagerly reciprocated around a mouthful of toast.

Gale watched how his mother's face lit up at the very sight of her grandchild, and he smiled silently to himself as he took a sip of watered down coffee then settled his gaze on his daughter. Katniss spoke quietly into Briar's ear, drawing the tiny child into her side with a protectively maternal arm before she dropped a kiss on the top of her head. Briar continued to eat, oblivious as only a young child could be to the outpouring of love directed at her.

Feeling eyes upon her, Katniss looked up at Gale quizzically, a smirk blossoming across her features as he winked at her from behind the rim of his mug.

Mrs. Everdeen peered across the table at the little family with the faintest trace of a smile tugging at her lips. Though she had always suspected the depth of feeling that existed between her daughter and the young miner, it brought a particular kind of joy to her heart to watch them together and observe their clear adoration for each other. Of course, it also forced her to recall the handsome face of her own husband, and wonder not for the first time if he had looked at her the way Gale now gazed at their daughter. As much as she still felt the smothering presence of her grief, Mrs. Everdeen would never begrudge Katniss the happiness she had found; especially since there had been a time when she had feared that the young woman had been too closed off and guarded to ever allow herself to trust her heart into the care of another.

"Now, there's the beautiful young lady I was looking for!"

Whilst all of the adults assembled around the table suddenly peered up in the direction of the president with expressions ranging from confusion to reverence, Briar simply giggled impishly at the attention bestowed upon her.

"And how are we today, Miss Briar?" President Coin asked, stooping down as the child scrambled from her place on the bench and hurtled toward the white haired woman with the carefree haste only a four year old could muster.

Alma smiled, her entire being seeming to brighten with the gesture. She appeared to take genuine delight in her encounters with the smallest Hawthorne, and her promise to keep the child's existence a secret was a truly heartfelt one. President Coin cared very much for Briar, and when she had vowed to the couple that she would do everything in her power to keep their daughter safe, they knew that she would rather die herself than break her word.

"Good," Briar replied, her eyes following the fingers of the president as she gently touched one of the flowers that were woven into her hair.

"What beautiful flowers," she observed, inhaling deeply and closing her eyes for a brief moment. Since Briar's arrival, Alma so often found her own lost child flooding her thoughts. Of course there was not a single day that would go by where her daughter's face would not be present in her mind's eye, but having Briar around brought other memories to the surface that were both welcome and yet also painful.

"Mommy picked them for me when she had grown-up time with Daddy," Briar informed her, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she appeared not to notice the laugh that Coin bit back. She added proudly, "Daddy said I'm the pwettiest girl in the whole distwict, just like Mommy."

President Coin pretended to ponder that suggestion for a moment before she bent her head and spoke softly into the little girl's ear, "Well, you know... I think your Daddy might be right about that."

Briar giggled in response, turning to note with obvious pleasure that the eyes of her parents and grandmothers were firmly fixed upon her.

Addressing Katniss for a moment, Alma Coin gestured to a small package in her hand, wrapped in simple brown paper and fastened with a pink ribbon, "They're sugar cookies, is that okay?"

"Just as long as she doesn't eat them all before breakfast is through," Katniss said with a nod, shooting Briar a pointed look before she turned to the district leader with a grateful smile.

"And I thought maybe when you're done with them, Mommy could tie the ribbons in your hair?!" Coin stroked a tendril of the delighted child's hair from her forehead and deposited the package into the pair of waiting eager hands.

"What do you say, little duck?" Katniss coached, relieved when Briar uttered a very sincere 'thank you, Pwesident Coin' and then threw her arms exuberantly around the woman's legs. Whilst the latter wasn't strictly adhering to protocol, it didn't fail to bring a smile to each of the adults' faces, the president included.

Briar settled herself on the edge of the bench, her back pressed against Mrs. Everdeen's side for support, and set about trying to untie the ribbon on the top of the box. Her eye were wide with anticipation and her tongue poked out the side of her mouth as she concentrated. Katniss watched her daughter with a smile playing across her lips, amused at the eagerness that rolled off the little girl in waves. She had no idea how or where Coin had managed to procure a box a cookies, but she knew that the gesture was one that Briar wouldn't be forgetting in a hurry.

Nodding at Katniss, Alma Coin turned on her heel to return to her own table when four soldiers dressed in full uniform stormed into the cafeteria with evident purpose in their strides. The President's face fell and she watched through narrowed eyes as the men split up and at once pursued separate paths towards a bench at the back of the room that housed a single occupant. The woman, who had been seemingly engrossed in staring into the bottom of her bowl of porridge, raised her gaze quickly as she felt the attentions of everyone in the room suddenly upon her.

Katniss watched in shock as Mona clambered almost unsteadily to her feet, her eyes darting about the room as though seeking an avenue of escape. She let out a low, choked cry as each arm was seized by a soldier, before she was physically hauled out from behind the bench. Heavy metal handcuffs were fastened around her skinny wrists before she could utter a protest, and Gale stepped surreptitiously in front of Briar's view as the soldiers began to drag a writhing Mona out of the cafeteria.

Briar remained oblivious to the scene, too caught up in pulling the silky yard of ribbon through her little fingers to notice the commotion taking place behind their table.

Katniss noted a faintly guilty expression flitting across her mother's features, and Mrs. Everdeen busied herself with pressing a kiss to Briar's cheek rather than meet her daughter's probing gaze.

The doors of the dining hall closed resolutely behind the guards, and the gentle hum of chatter once again filled the hall; although it was safe to assume that every conversation taking place between the district citizens was now concerning the apparent arrest they had just witnessed.

Katniss noted that President Coin had managed to slip away unnoticed, and assumed she had gone to take charge of proceedings - although over what, the Mockingjay could not be sure.

"Mom?" Katniss finally coaxed her mother to hold her gaze, and the older woman circled her finger around the rim of her mug with a heavy sigh.

Checking that Briar was otherwise occupied, Mrs. Everdeen leaned across the table, her voice little more than a whisper.

"Yesterday, when Prim and I were watching Briar..." she returned her eyes to her fingers as they curled around the handle of the cup, "we caught Mona stealing supplies."

"Morphling?" Katniss guessed, receiving a nod from her mother. "So you reported her?"

"What else could we do, Katniss?" her mother demanded, shrugging sadly, "I feel so bad for the poor girl, but this isn't the place for her. Not here, not like this. We all live so close together, if one person... if one person falls like that..."

She didn't finish her sentence and instead took a sip of her now cold coffee.

"What will happen to her now?" Katniss asked, glancing up at Gale as he seated himself beside her and draped his arm around her waist.

"I guess they'll deport her from the district," Gale replied, feeling a certain degree of pity for the young woman, who was as much a casualty of the Capitol's rule as anybody else in the room. Unfortunately for her, that had taken the shape of an illness and addiction, which would not be tolerated in District 13 under any circumstances. Such issues were cited as a weakness, and they did not want to pollute the community they had worked so hard to forge over the decades. Mrs. Everdeen had been correct; just one person could have the effect of toppling the proverbial dominoes, and putting the entire district and rebellion in jeopardy.

Katniss nodded, reaching across the table and curling her fingers tentatively around her mother's rough, work-weary hand. "You did the right thing."

Mrs. Everdeen smiled tightly in response, obviously not wholly convinced that she had indeed acted in the girl's best interests. But rules were rules, and the idea of having such a person privy to their military operations or indeed the secrets the district worked so hard to keep was not a particularly comforting thought.

Katniss found herself suddenly roused from similar thoughts as Briar clambered clumsily up onto her knee and threw her arms around her mother's neck in request of a hug. Katniss happily obliged, smiling as she kissed her daughter's cheek repeatedly and wrapped her in a fierce embrace.

"I love you so much, little one," she murmured into the child's ear.

"Love you too, Momma," Briar chirruped happily, leaning her head against Katniss' chest and enjoying the closeness to her mother for longer than she usually tolerated. Whilst Briar enjoyed affection and reveled in her parents' attention, there were usually games to play and things to explore, and her father's patient nature had not been one of the virtues she had inherited.

Holding her little girl tightly, Katniss' thoughts drifted into a far darker and unwelcome direction. For a moment she was overcome by a sense of panic and fear that she thought she had long ago left behind in the arena.

The new president of Panem would have undoubtedly seen their counter broadcast, and it would be only a matter of time before he responded.

It was Peeta's move now. All they could do was wait.


	7. Hold Your Breath & Count To Ten

It seemed lately that life in 13 had become an endless string of meetings and briefs, and Katniss was beginning to tire of sitting around a table and waiting to be spoon-fed the facts. However, she suspected that Coin would be discussing the fate of Mona Arnold and, given the circumstances around her arrest, the situation was of particular interest to Katniss.

Not only had Mona potentially overheard information that could cause irreparable damage to the rebellion if leaked, but she had freely wandered the hallways of the District and would be able to provide anyone who cared to know with a detailed map of the area. From a tactical perspective, Katniss knew that casting Mona to the wind was not at all a wise decision, and she suspected that Alma Coin was both intelligent and experienced enough to have come to this realisation herself. However, the only other alternative that could be considered did not sit well with Katniss at all; the potential for the woman to be found dangerous enough to warrant execution.

The Mockingjay could not help but feel a pang of sympathy for Mona, who it appeared was more under the thrall of her addiction than anyone had first assumed. Thanks to her mother, Katniss had come to view the Morphling addicts as victims rather than perpetrators, and she had resolved to use her considerable influence to ensure that Mona would receive the help she needed, rather than the condemnation that she feared may be on the horizon. She had yet to tell Gale about her decision, but she knew that he would support her if she chose to speak up in defence of the woman. Gale was a good man and Katniss knew the depths of his heart intimately; there was no way that he could sit idly by and watch someone be decreed to die for the crime of not being strong enough to resist something that had been inflicted upon them.

As President Coin waked into the briefing room, those seated around the table and leaning against the walls fell silent, their eyes turned to their leader. The room was almost packed to capacity, given that the morning's meeting was a routine one, open to each of the senior military ranks within the district.

"Please, everyone take a seat." President Coin gestured to the remaining empty chairs around the table and waited somewhat impatiently for the soldiers and advisers to take their seats.

Katniss felt her mouth dry, and she leaned back in her chair with her hands gripping the armrests as she awaited news of Coin's decision. She didn't have to wait long, however, as the district president launched straight into a breakdown of the day's events.

"As I'm sure you're all aware, there have been certain... developments... surrounding a young woman who came to us from District 6," she paused, testing the words carefully on her tongue before she continued on, "we do not tolerate substance abuse in District 13, and our usual method of dealing with such individuals is to banish them from our borders. However, this young woman knows things that could prove detrimental to the fate of the rebellion and indeed to the life of our Mockingjay. Make no mistake, this information cannot and will not be allowed to leave our district. As such, I have had to come to a different arrangement regarding her... disposal."

Katniss and Gale exchanged dubious glances, before they returned their gazes to their leader, who appeared to offer a reassuring smile in their direction.

"I have spoken to the leader of District 6 at length, and he and I have agreed that the young woman will be taken under military guard back to 6, where she will undergo treatment for her addiction in a secure installation. She has been fitted with a sub-dermal tracking device so we can monitor her whereabouts in the future. Should she venture towards the Capitol, then other avenues will need to be explored. I trust that this solution meets with everybody's approval?"

Whilst that had appeared to be a question and an invitation for discussion, all seated around the table knew that their president was not in any way courting their opinion. Her mind, once made up, was not for turning.

"Yes. Thank you," Katniss replied, genuinely pleased that a more humane solution had been put into place, "has there been any word from the Capitol after our last broadcast?"

"Not yet," a blonde woman, who Katniss knew to be the chief Communications Specialist, piped up as she spread her hands on the table in front of her. "We're keeping an eye on both public broadcasts and a handful of private channels direct from the Presidential palace that we've been able to access thanks to Beetee's phenomenal work."

President Coin nodded in satisfaction, her keen gaze flitting from the woman speaking to Beetee, who slumped further down in his wheelchair as he grew uncomfortable with being the subject of such high praise. Katniss flashed the man a smile, grateful once again for his rescue from the arena at her side all those years ago, and the invaluable service he had provided the rebellion since.

"Keep looking," Coin responded, returning her attention to the other woman, "the new President seems to be flamboyant to say the least. I imagine it will only be a matter of time before we have our response."

As murmurs of assent rose up around the room, Coin glanced at Katniss, an almost woeful frown in place upon her face.

"I hate to ask this of you at the moment, Katniss, but now more than ever we need to maintain our allegiances with the other districts. Given the apparent strength of President Mellark's convictions, we can't afford for our biggest allies to run scared and go straight back over to the Capitol with their tails between their legs," she began, pacing the length of the room with one hand on her hip as she spoke.

"What do you need?" Katniss asked immediately, almost relieved to sense that she was required beyond simple propos. in a studio and training green recruits to shoot.

"District 10 has always been one of the harder areas to crack, as you know," she stated, ceasing her pacing and addressing Katniss squarely, "the Capitol sent a number of Peacekeepers in yesterday to stir up some unrest with the rebellion. Scores of animals were slaughtered, crops were set alight, and lives were lost, not only from those farms the Capitol suspected to be loyal to the rebellion."

"What was the motivation for the attack?" Gale inquired, interrupting Coin unapologetically with a grimace twisting his features taut. "10 provides meat and food to the Capitol too. It hardly seems wise to destroy your own supplies."

"Anger? Rage?" Coin cocked her head, "we see this as nothing more than a presidential temper tantrum. There was no real motive behind these actions, Captain Hawthorne. Except for bloodshed and destruction."

Katniss took a steadying breath, "What do you need me to do?"

President Coin smiled appreciatively and placed her hand over the young woman's.

"Thank you," she replied, as if she'd known all along that the Mockingjay would not deny her people, "there's a hospital in District 10, the wounded citizens and rebellion fighters and their families are being cared for there. The elderly, orphans... I've seen the footage, it's... quite awful. They've asked if the Mockingjay will visit them. It's simply to bolster support, I imagine, and let them know that we stand with them."

"I'll go," Katniss agreed almost instantly, looking up as she heard Gale sigh, the tension easily discernible in his features.

"The new psycho president issues a bounty on Katniss' head, and we're sending her out there for a PR stunt?" Gale argued.

"It's not a PR stunt to those people, Gale," Katniss argued, already knowing that Gale was all too aware of the comfort people took in seeing the figurehead of the rebellion out amongst the citizens of each warring district. Though she would never understand how she could possibly be important to them given the hardships they faced on a daily basis, it had become part of her job as the Mockingjay, and it was a role she gladly embraced if it meant bolstering spirits and providing support to those in need.

"Besides," Katniss smiled briefly and leaned closer to her husband as she rested her hand on his arm and squeezed it, "my head of security is the best, I trust him with my life."

"Except I won't be able to go with you, will I?" Gale retorted, shaking his head in evident frustration. He caught Katniss' eye, his inference obvious. She nodded her head almost sadly, recalling the vow that they had made when they had first held an hours old Briar in their arms; they would never knowingly both walk straight into the path of an oncoming storm and risk orphaning their child. They had both lost a parent when they were very young, and neither one of the couple could think of anything worse for the little girl than to lose both.

"No, you won't," Katniss conceded, "but we agreed..."

"I know," Gale cut in, seeming to deflate as the fight left him at the thought of leaving Briar completely alone in the district, "I'm not about to back out, I just..."

"If it makes you feel any better, Captain Hawthorne, you will have full say over the security plan for the entire trip, and you'll be able to maintain communications from the control centre," Coin assuaged, waiting for a response from Gale, who hunched over in his seat, appearing deep in thought.

"How long will I be going for and when do we leave?" Katniss inquired, deciding it was perhaps best to leave her husband to his brooding for the time being.

"It's merely a day trip," Coin assured them, "you'll leave here in an hour, arrive in District 10 a little after 14.00 hours, spend an hour with the casualties, and then return to base here. In time for dinner with your family."

"I want to speak to their head of security," Gale demanded, receiving a nod of agreement from Coin.

"Whatever you want," Coin agreed, holding up her hands defensively, as if she understood his concerns and would do all within her power to accommodate him in ensuring Katniss was as safe as possible, "the safety of our Mockingjay is always our paramount concern."

Gale met her gaze evenly, "The safety of my wife and the mother of my child is my concern. I couldn't care less about the Mockingjay."

"Gale..." Katniss warned, her grip on his arm tightening.

"No, he's absolutely right. Family is... everything," Coin smiled briefly, her eyes clouding over with a sadness Katniss was now all too familiar with. Her heart ached for the woman, and for the unimaginable loss she'd suffered.

The meeting continued without further event, Gale listening only half heartedly as he brooded over the mission that had been tasked to his wife, and her reckless willingness to take it. Katniss remained quiet, becoming involved only when necessary, but otherwise maintaining a gentle and reassuring grip on her husband's hand underneath the table. When Coin dismissed the room, Katniss shot Gale a weak smile and hung back deliberately from the departing crowd.

"You know why I agreed to this, don't you?" Katniss pressed, ensuring that the room had emptied before she reached up and rested a palm against Gale's cheek. He nodded, his jaw clenching as his thoughts flitted to the new President of Panem and his vendetta against the rebellion.

"Yeah, I get it," Gale replied, tone softening as he peered down into the depths of Katniss' eyes, then added with a snort, "doesn't mean I like it."

"I know and I understand," she conceded, leaning back against the table with both hands, "but this is for the best, for all of us. At the moment, we're in a stalemate with the Capitol and Peeta won't allow that to continue for much longer. We need all the allies we can get, before..."

She trailed off, averting her eyes to the tiled floor, swallowing down the sudden lump that caught in her throat as the images in her mind silenced her. Gale sighed and gathered his wife into his arms, resting his chin on the crown of her head as he embraced her.

"Before he tries to finish this, once and for all," Gale continued.

"We don't need any more enemies. We can't allow the other districts to keep taking beatings without being seen to do something... to just... care..." she murmured, closing her eyes as she listened to rhythmic thumping of Gale's heart with her ear pressed against his chest.

"We do care," assuaged Gale, dropping a kiss onto Katniss' forehead and offering her a small but encouraging smile.

His voice little more than a whisper, Gale's lips brushed her ear and he held her closer, his arms tightening around her in a fierce embrace.

"Be careful out there, Katniss. Don't take any risks, okay? Just do what you gotta do and come home. No heroics!"

Katniss smirked and rolled her eyes at the inference, and she leaned up to plant her hands on either side of her husband's face.

"I'll be back this evening, I promise. Besides, I have to get home in time to tuck our baby girl in."

Gale laughed and tried to distract himself from the nervous churning that had settled in the pit of his stomach, and he planted a series of tender kisses against her cheek.

"You better not let Briar hear you call her that," he teased, chuckling against her lips as she craned her neck to kiss him.

"Don't!" Katniss smiled, poking him playfully in the chest in response. Whilst it was true that Briar saw herself on the precipice of womanhood, Katniss had a very different view on the little four year old. "She'll always be my baby, Gale... no matter how big she gets."

"Our baby," he reminded her, a wide grin tugging at his lips as he gently bumped the tip of her nose with his. Katniss mirrored his smile, half out of wonderment at the very idea, and half out of intense pride in their beautiful daughter, who was already proving a force to be reckoned with even at such a tender age. Briar Hawthorne had certainly inherited her mother's spirit and determination, but also her father's big heart and sociable disposition - and Katniss couldn't imagine their life without her.

"Ours," Katniss nodded, tracing her fingertips over Gale's cheek and cupping his jaw in her hand. But the weight of the moment and her impending trip started to prompt an all too familiar sense of fear and dread, and so Katniss desperately sought to lighten the moment. "Unless she's being a total pain in the ass, and then she's all yours."

"Are you still here, Hawthorne?" Gale mock griped, biting the inside of his cheek to keep the smile from his face.

Katniss laughed and shook her head at her husband before pausing to draw herself up onto her toes in order to brush her lips against his in a chaste kiss.

"I will see you later and you can tell me all about your awesome day catering to Briar's every whim," Katniss teased, winking at Gale for good measure before she began to walk backwards in the direction of the armoury, where she would be able to collect her bow and a tactical vest before embarking on her hovercraft flight to District 10.

"Don't count on that, I'm tougher than I look," Gale protested, although the amusement that danced behind his thick lashes told Katniss that he was under no illusions as to exactly who was in charge out of him and Briar.

Katniss laughed, a real, genuine smile blossoming on her features.

"I gotta go," she sighed, raising one hand in a half hearted departing wave. Gale took a slow, deep breath and bobbed his head. The couple shared a brief yet meaningful gaze, and Katniss finally stopped walking, drawing to a standstill in the hallway.

Gale closed the distance between them within a handful of strides, his lips on hers in a demanding and hungry kiss that Katniss eagerly returned.

"Be safe," Gale pleaded, his breath ghosting the shell of her ear as he kissed down her cheek and then claimed her lips again and again.

"You know I will," she promised, stroking her fingertips down the finely chiselled line of his jaw.

"That's an order, Hawthorne," he barked, straightening up and doing his best to replace his troubled expression with one of complete composure. Hiding her smile behind a solemn nod, Katniss began to walk down the hallway once again, throwing up a mock salute at Gale as she went.

"Yes, sir," she called out, watching with a flutter of unease in her chest as Gale turned on his heel and stalked away from her, no doubt in search of their daughter, who would be unbearable in her mother's absence.

Katniss let out a sigh and finally turned to face the direction of the armoury, where she would retrieve her bow before boarding the hoverplane that would deliver her to 10. With effort, she pushed all thoughts of Gale, Briar, Prim and the rest of her family from her mind, knowing that she would require the kind of focus on her mission that could not be attained by entertaining thoughts of her loved ones. The role of Mockingjay was far from easy but Katniss had vowed to embrace it completely, and that sometimes meant putting her roles as wife and mother on the back-burner, albeit temporarily. However, even as she forced one foot in front of the other in order to drive herself towards the armoury, Katniss could not shake the feeling that something was poised to go terribly wrong.

**x-x-x**

She had only to wait until the hoverplane had landed in 6 and her burly yet inattentive guard had seized her arm to begin marching her down the ramp. He had taken her but a few steps towards the centre of the district she had loathed so much before his attention had been captured by the pretty female guard that had been sent to receive her. As the two chatted, almost oblivious to her very presence, Mona had begun to slip away.

It was with an almost disappointing ease that she was able to creep away from the flirtatious pair, her heart hammering in her ears as she swallowed down her nervousness and staggered away on heavy, uncoordinated feet. Turning her head, she made out the forest surrounding the landing strip, only the small control tower and underground bunker giving any indication that the area was inhabited.

Sucking in a deep breath, she darted away from her captors, thankful that the District 13 guards had negated to shackle her feet for the journey. After all, how much of a threat could she be? Slight in stature, unassuming, afraid - and her body ravaged by the effects of withdrawal. Yet now, she found the strength to run, and as her feet pounded against the broken asphalt beneath, she tore away quickly as she could. She was vaguely aware of the sound of raised voices behind her, yet she ran full pelt towards the trees, her chest pained by the exertion of breathing.

She ploughed into the trees with such ferocity that the birds surrounding her took to the air in fright, their shrieks mercifully masking her footfalls. She rushed deeper and deeper into the woodland, thankful for the coverage of the trees but all too aware that the tracker that had been implanted into her arm back at 13 would give her location away within minutes.

Mona stopped abruptly, eyes scanning the ground in desperation for some kind of makeshift tool. When her gaze set upon a rock, long and jagged and appropriately sharp, she snatched it up. Without a second thought, she hiked up her sleeve and pressed the tip of the rock into the edge of the faint line remaining on her skin. She cut into her own flesh with gritted teeth, wincing and whimpering when a trickle of blood oozed down her pale arm. Finally, once the wound was opened again, Mona dug the tip of her nails into her flesh and blindly felt for the thin metal tracker. She found it within moments, ripping it out with a cry before she tossed it far into the trees behind her.

Then, one hand clamped firmly over her arm to staunch the flow of blood, she continued on as fast as her legs could carry her.

Glancing back towards where she could hear the sound of bracken breaking under the assault of boots, Mona kept on running, unsure of her direction, but certain that she had to keep on going. There was no life for her now in District 6, and she could never hope to make the citizens of 13 understand her plight. They were too consumed by their own self-righteousness; too besotted with their adored Mockingjay. There was only one place Mona could hope to make her home.

And so, with a deep breath, the young woman ran onwards.


	8. Soldier Keep On Marching

Even after enduring two Games and living amidst a war zone for a decade, Katniss knew that she would never get used to watching innocent people bleed before her eyes. The visit to 10 had sapped her of her remaining strength; she had held the hands of the elderly as she sat by their bedsides, cradled newly orphaned infants to her chest, and watched grown men weep at the fates their families had suffered. The visit had run over the estimated time scale by several hours, mostly due to Katniss' own reluctance to leave before she had taken a moment to pause at every bedside in the hospital. She suspected that Gale would be mad but she also was certain that he would come to understand quickly. He never could stand to watch anyone suffer, and he was so immensely proud of his wife for her ability to bring comfort to others with her mere presence. If it existed, his anger would wane, and he would soon be massaging her shoulders and kissing her brow as he asked her how the mission had gone.

It was with a sense of crushing sorrow weighing down on her that she walked the corridors of 13 by torchlight, searching out the familiar door to the quarter that was her home. Dinner had already been eaten and so Katniss would be going hungry for the night - or at least, she would have been had her appetite not been completely quelled by the sight of the wounded and the coppery stench that had hung thick in the air back at 10. It clung to her clothing and her hair now, and the one thing she longed for other than the feel of Gale's arms around her was a warm shower. She had to wash away the grime of the day before she allowed it to stain her permanently.

The metal door slowly slid open with just the faintest hiss of protest when she pressed her palm to the security sensor on the wall. It closed almost instantly behind her as she stepped inside. She paused to make use of both the electronic lock and the more archaic deadbolt Gale had insisted on.

The room was lit by a solitary table lamp, and as Katniss allowed her gaze to sweep more comforting, pleasant surroundings than the bloodied and terror-stricken field hospital, her eyes came to rest on the table beside the couch.

Resting underneath a metal cover was a dining hall bowl, with a bread roll and bottle of water beside it, along with the pre-requisite spoon and knife.

" _Gale_ ," she whispered his name through a smile, her steps quickening as she spied a light on in Briar's room. Standing in the doorway of the tiny space, which was barely big enough for a cot bed and an old dresser, Katniss felt her heart constrict at the sight that met her eyes.

Slumped against the wall, Gale slumbered silently, his tiny daughter sprawled over his chest in a carefree and apparently peaceful sleep. Her head was tucked protectively under his chin. Lips parted, Briar puffed out steady breaths, one hand gripping onto her father's shirt and the other clutching her bunny.

Gale held the old, yellowed and well-read book of fairy tales in one hand. His other hand rested in the centre of Briar's back, dwarfing the toddler's body even further.

Chancing waking her husband, who she knew would feel instantly guilty at not having been awake to greet her, Katniss sat down on the edge of the bed. Her smile came easy as she stared at the pair.

Gale came around quickly, his body alert and tensed, ready for the threat it had perceived in his oblivious state. Katniss watched his hands tighten on Briar and her heart swelled. Her husband would go to the grave for their daughter, and he'd do it with a song in his heart if that was what was required of him.

"Hey," Katniss whispered, attempting to offer Gale a smile. He saw through her immediately, as he had grown so accustomed to doing in their childhoods when they had wandered the woodlands together.

"It was bad," he stated rather than asked, rubbing blearily at his eyes before he began to attempt to extract himself from Briar's grip.

"The worst I've seen in a while," admonished Katniss, her head bowing under the burden of such heavy memories.

With Briar laid down against her pillow, Gale slid off the mattress and offered his right hand to Katniss. She took it without hesitation and the couple moved from their daughter's bedroom into their lounge area with the practiced silence that parents come to master.

"I managed to smuggle you back some soup," Gale said, indicating the meagre dinner with a toss of his head. "I had a hell of a job keeping Briar away from the bread. The kid sure likes carbs."

Taking a seat on the threadbare couch, Katniss picked up the bread roll and smiled briefly to herself as she broke off a small piece. She placed it absently into her mouth. Staring down at the bread, she found her mind drifting back to another time and place, and to the son of the district baker. As she swallowed down the meagre mouthful of food, a lump caught in her throat and she found herself struggling not to choke. Whilst Katniss had never been in love with Peeta, she had considered him a friend, someone she trusted. Only in hindsight could she see how his performance as her doting fiancé and husband had been born out of not only a desire to survive, but to perhaps sway her into sharing the feeling that fuelled his obsession.

"Hey, it's not that bad," Gale teased, noting the almost grimace on his young wife's face as she stared down at the food in her hand.

"Sorry," she apologised, shaking her head before she leaned up to press a kiss against his lips. "And thank you for this."

Katniss watched mutely as he leaned over and then deposited the tray of food onto her lap before again settling down at her side - a place he had always been since childhood.

"It was horrible, Gale. He's hitting them hard… punishing them for their loyalty to the Rebellion… to… to me," she sighed, pushing her spoon disinterestedly around the bowl through the murky coloured broth.

"Hey, this is not your fault," he reminded her, his arm coming to rest around her shoulder, "whatever he does, his actions are his own, Katniss."

"Sometimes I believe that," she replied, bending her head low so that the strands that had escaped her braid fell across her cheek. Gale wasted no time in reaching forwards to push them back behind her ear, and then he was gently lifting her chin with his thumb, encouraging her to look at him.

"There is nothing you could have done to prevent Peeta from going down this road," he insisted, mindful to keep his voice low so as not to disturb Briar, who had been reluctant to sleep anyway in the absence of her mother. It had taken three stories and four quiet lullabies as well as endless requests for water and bathroom trips to settle the little girl down. It was no wonder that once she had succumbed, Gale had found his own eyelids flickering closed against his will.

"We both know that isn't true," Katniss answered, shaking her head. Her features darkened as she added, "I could have made different choices but… given the time over, I can't say that I would. Despite what we've lived through and the mess we're in right now, I'm happy with you, and Briar, and our family. Peeta was never worth all that."

Gale rested his head against the back of the couch and peered up towards the ceiling of their quarters. His lips twisted into a thoughtful frown.

"Someday, Catnip, this will all be over… the Rebellion will just be a memory we tell our kids and grandkids about. And then you and I can go home…"

"Home?" Katniss interrupted, wiping the corner of her lip where remnants of soup stained her skin, "you mean District 12? Gale, there's nothing left of it!"

The hope in her eyes was matched only by the scepticism in her tone, yet she allowed him to lead her on through his foray into their imaginary future.

"We'll rebuild," he said defiantly, "like we always have. It'll be different this time… houses, stores, enough food for everybody, jobs, a school, a hospital… like it was before the war."

He referenced the civil war that had plunged the country into division over a century before, and for which they were still suffering the consequences.

He continued, swallowing down his own sorrow, "And you and I… we'll build that little cottage you always wanted… with the…"

"Blue door…" Katniss supplied with a wide grin, chuckling as she realised that she too was becoming caught up in his daydream.

" _Blue door_ ," he agreed, glancing down at her as she rested her head on his shoulder, "and maybe a little brother or sister for Briar… we'll get her her own cat so she can stop bugging that poor old flea-bag of your sister's."

Katniss arched an eyebrow and pondered the many times she'd found the beleaguered feline in the clutches of her daughter. It seemed Briar had made it her mission to hug and kiss the poor creature with or without the cat's consent.

"You know she'd probably be more excited about the cat than a sibling, I'm just saying."

"Yeah but I could get pretty excited about making one," Gale said, suggestively waggling his eyebrows at Katniss, who snorted with laughter.

"Gale Hawthorne, you smooth talker," she teased, rolling her eyes to demonstrate her exasperation with her husband, who seemed loathed to remain serious for longer than five minutes when they were alone in the sanctuary of their quarter. She supposed he had enough of playing the stoic protector in his role as Captain for the Rebellion.

"Baby, these lips were made for more than talking," he declared in an exaggerated purr, his smirk growing as he crawled towards Katniss across the couch. She held onto her laughter with the back of her hand pressed across her mouth, her eyes sparkling with amusement. Of course, he was trying his best to distract her and wrench her thoughts away from the events of the day. It was one of the things she loved about him most; his ability to shine light into even the darkest of her hours.

Placing her tray onto the nearby table, her stomach having had its fill of the watery broth, Katniss reached out and slid her arms around her husband's neck.

Easing herself back against the uncomfortable cushions, Katniss drew him down over her, her fingertips caressing the nape of his neck. His smile extracted a strangely contended sigh from her, the horrors of the day not forgotten but rather eased by his presence. Silence descended over them, and Katniss peered up into his grey eyes, finding herself giggling as he bumped the tip of her nose with his.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead and feeling his heart flutter in his chest, as it was always inclined to do when she gazed at him.

"Not really," she declined, "I'm kind of done being the Mockingjay today… I just want to be me tonight. Sometimes it's like I forget what it felt like to just be Katniss, just a regular girl. It's like I don't even know her anymore, you know?"

Almost a decade of being the face and voice of the Rebellion had left their mark on the young woman, and sometimes she mourned the fact she had never known what it felt like to live a simple life. To just be a daughter and sister again - to be a wife and a mother without the rebellion looming overhead and tainting each moment of joy with uncertainty or fear.

Pretending to ponder over her words for a moment, Gale arched an eyebrow and sucked in a breath as if physically pained, "Katniss Everdeen? I remember her. That girl was trouble…"

He smirked as she began to laugh, determined to continue his charade.

"No, really. She was! Always getting herself into all kinds of mischief… kind of like that kid back there." His tone softened as he declared, "But, she's also my favourite person in the entire world, and there's nothing I don't know about her."

"You're an idiot," Katniss accused playfully, lifting her head and claiming his lips in a brief kiss. Pulling his head down until his breath ghosted her skin and his forehead touched hers, she asked hesitantly, "Tell me about her?"

Gale frowned, the seriousness of Katniss' tone and open pleading in her eyes taking him by surprise, and most certainly indicating that now was not the time for his humour to arise.

"Sometimes she was kind of moody," he began, holding up a hand to silence the protests Katniss was already poised to utter, "but she had the biggest heart of anyone I'd ever met. She'd bail anyone out of trouble if she could and there were plenty of times I saw her go without to make sure others didn't have to."

Katniss lay back against the lumpy, hard cushions, accustomed to their feel anyway, and closed her eyes. It was almost as though she was awaiting a bedtime story of her own.

Repositioning his body so that he lay behind her, Gale wrapped Katniss in his embrace, with one hand splayed over her abdomen. He tugged her as close as possible and then brushed his lips against the apple of her cheek. Katniss shivered when his stubbled jaw grazed her skin, and she closed her eyes with the trace of a contented smile weaving across her lips. His voice rumbled in his chest as he spoke, and she felt the vibrations of it against her back. Katniss placed her hand over his, tangling their fingers together as she often liked to do. The first time they had held hands they had been children, and now they were married with one of their own. It never failed to astound Katniss how far they had come.

"She was beautiful, and kind, and loyal. Smarter than she knew. I think I loved her even before I knew what it really meant… I never wanted to be anywhere but beside her."

Turning her head to nuzzle against his, Katniss reached up to caress his jaw. "What happened to her?"

Unwilling to let her descend any further into her maudlin state, Gale pursed his lips and pretended to look perplexed. "I don't know. I guess she married some loser from the Seam, probably an ex-miner… pretty sad, really."

Katniss shook her head and inhaled the scent of soap that clung to his skin. Back in 12, he had always smelled somehow like a curious combination of fresh air and pine. She missed that.

"No," she countered, bringing her hand back to his cheek and brushing her thumb across his lower lip. "That's not right."

"It's not?"

"Uh-uh." She peered up into his eyes, all but melting into his back at the intensity of his grey-eyed gaze. "I heard she married a pretty great guy… her best friend… maybe her soul mate."

All pretences now gone, Gale kissed her, his hold on her tight. He repeated the gesture over and over again until Katniss was forced to draw back to claim a breath of air. She seemed to relax into his embrace though, her mind and her soul calmed equally.

"That girl? She's right here. Where she belongs."

**x-x-x**

He was alone in his chambers when the soft knock on the door resounded, pulling him away from the near ancient novel he had been pouring over. It was one recommended to him by an advisor, although the title had at first been both mystifying and off-putting; A Clockwork Orange. It had almost evoked a smile. Peeta had always been somewhat of a reluctant reader, even during his school days, but in recent years he had found himself appreciating the written word more and more, mostly thanks to his alliance with Snow. The former president had possessed a vast and enviable collection of novels, texts, volumes of poetry and plays, all of which he claimed to have read at least once during his lifetime. He had certainly been a learned man and so Peeta had never thought to doubt his word on that. Instead, he had resolved to attempt to compete with it. Anything Snow had done to ensure his own success and prosper, Peeta would attempt to emulate. He knew that he still had much to learn about governing Panem, but with the spectre of Snow never far from his mind, he surely couldn't fail.

"What?" Peeta barked out, irritated beyond measure as he pushed the yellowed book aside and strode to his door. He threw it open to find a man he barely recognised standing there, shifting from one foot to the other somewhat nervously.

"My apologies, President Mellark, but a small squad of Peacekeepers picked up a stray during a routine sweep of the perimeter of 3," he revealed, his voice breaking horribly as he noted Peeta glaring at him. He hurried on, "General Corpius insists that you come down to the holding cells and meet with…"

"Oh he insists, does he?" Peeta purred, arching a blonde brow at the servant, who gulped. He seemed to have realised his own error far too late to rectify it.

"That is, I mean, I…" he stammered, actual tears beginning to pool in the corners of his eyes as he faltered to find some sort of saving grace.

The man shrank back and grew mute until Peeta glared at him, eyes wide, as if his silence now too was annoying him. "And?"

Faltering for words, the man stumbled on, "We thought perhaps you might want to speak to this one yourself, sir. She's… she's from 13."

Upon hearing those words Peeta's stance changed almost instantly. He stood straighter, his interest now clearly piqued.

"She's loyal to the Mockingjay?" the words dripped from his lips with evident disdain.

The man shook his head vigorously, "No sir. That's just it, she says she wants to cut a deal with you. She says she has information you're going to want to hear."

Peeta folded his arms across his chest and pondered the situation, "And do we believe her? How are we to know she's not some plant from the Rebellion?"

Licking his lips nervously, the guard appeared to swallow so hard his Adam's apple bobbed. Clearly the information he was about to bestow was going to cause his increasingly unstable leader to become upset. He could only hope he wouldn't bear the brunt of his temper like so many of the Capitol's men had before him.

"She knows things, sir. Things the Rebellion don't want us to know about. Private things about the Mockingjay. It seems that she… that Katniss… she has a husband."

Peeta froze, his fingers curling at his sides until his hands had been rendered to fists. His manicured nails pressed into his palms hard, the pain serving as a welcome distraction from the surprising wave of anguish that washed over him along with the fury that was to be expected.

When he spoke, Peeta's voice was full only of steely resolve.

"Show me."

The walk down to the holding cells was carried out in absolute silence, which was perhaps the sole reason that once they reached their destination, Peeta did not immediately have the guard executed. Aside from the fact that the president found him annoying beyond measure, the man knew too much; far more than President Mellark deemed suitable for someone of his standing. However, Peeta had been somewhat rocked by the revelation of Katniss' state of matrimony, and so the guard was able to excuse himself and scuttle away before the president had time to gather his wits.

Peering through the viewing window of the cell, Peeta curled his upper lip in disgust as he regarded the woman. Her skin was mottled with bruises and track marks, and she hunched in the corner, scratching manically at her arms and neck – likely a consequence of the morphling withdrawal that he assumed she was currently in the throes of.

He slammed his palm against the pad on the door and the cell slid open to grant him access. Peeta strolled inside with a now well-rehearsed swagger, enjoying the way the woman's face paled further at the sight of him.

"Mr. President…" Mona's eyes widened in surprise as she breathed the moniker. She had not expected to be rewarded with an audience with Peeta Mellark himself so soon after her arrival. However, she knew the information she held was likely to be of interest to him; if not from a strategic point of view, certainly from a personal angle. She had watched the Games on TV when she had been younger, and she had seen the longing looks the baker's boy had passed in Katniss' direction. Mona had rejoiced with the rest of the districts at the news of their marriage, and similarly mourned when they assumed the Games had robbed them of the life of their unborn child.

Now of course she knew it had all been a carefully constructed lie, and she felt as much of a fool as she assumed the man in front of her once had.

Mona's loyalty was most definitely up for the highest bidder, and she felt no sense of duty to the Rebellion or their cause. District 13 had cruelly discarded her for her indiscretions instead of offering her the help she so badly required, and so she determined with ease that she owed them nothing. Then there was Katniss herself – poised and strong, still beautiful yet battle weary, a wife, a mother, and the darling of the districts; all the things Mona herself could never be. Perhaps most tragically of all, Katniss had the undying affections of a man Mona felt that perhaps she did not value in the manner in which he was deserving. Just looking at the Mockingjay had become a bitter pill to swallow. No - Mona would suffer no guilt as she divulged everything she knew to the president, so long as the price was worth her while.

"You have information?" Peeta pressed, clasping both hands behind his back as he surveyed the woman before him with a smile. It was a wholly predatory gesture, but Mona appeared oblivious to this. She beamed back at her captor, kneeling before him like a soldier poised to be knighted. Peeta barely managed to prevent himself from recoiling when she latched onto his hand with dirty, bony fingers.

"They say you can help me?" she said, desperation clinging to her in a palpable manner, "if I help you…"

"My dear, if you help me, I swear to you that I will personally see to it that you receive every last little thing that you deserve," Peeta replied, working hard to inject a note of warmth to his tone even as his rage simmered below the surface. Quietly, he added, "And perhaps more."

Mona's features broke into a wide grin and she began to nod her head emphatically.

"Thank you, thank you, sir," she stammered, tears tripping her cheeks all of a sudden, although she didn't appear to even notice them.

"Now, tell me," began Peeta, carefully extracting his hand from the woman's grasp and just managing to resist the urge to wipe his skin clean with the handkerchief poking out of his breast pocket, "what is the beloved Mockingjay hiding from the world?"

"His name is Gale," Mona blurted out, creeping further forwards on her knees, "he's in the military... a Captain… in charge of strategy or something. I guess they've been married years now, although I wasn't there to see it."

Peeta's breath refused to leave his chest, and he turned to her as if he had misheard. Pure fury was beginning to ignite in his gut - perhaps the same one that had been slowly burning for the better part of a decade.

"Hawthorne?" he checked, his mind reeling with possibilities. Gale Hawthorne was supposed to be dead. Peeta had watched him bleed out himself; he had watched the District 13 strike team drag the man's lifeless body from the cell.

"You know him?" Mona asked, suddenly adding, as if to make up for her betrayal, "he's a nice guy. He seems… kind. And he's so tall and handsome... like, all the women in District 13 would kill to get in his…"

Noting how red and angry the president's face seemed to be growing, Mona cleared her throat and fell silent. She scratched absently at her scabbed arm.

"He just seems like a real nice man, that's all. But I guess they keep it a secret… can't have the poster girl of the Rebellion all cosy and married, right? Like, if she's that happy, how's that meant to make people in the other districts feel when they're starving and there's bombs falling from the sky, and…"

"Are you high…" Peeta gestured his fingers at her to implore her to tell him her name. She muttered her answer with her head dipped down to avoid his sharp glare.

"Mona? When was the last time you used? Because, you see…" he laughed softly, although his face was devoid of humour, "you're telling me that Katniss is married to a man I saw die right in front of my eyes. So you see why I'm struggling here to believe your story. Did Katniss send you? Did she tell you to lie to me? She told you about Gale, didn't she? _Didn't she_?! She thought it would hurt me, make me jealous. Was that her plan? Are you a _spy_ , Mona? Did the Rebellion send you here?"

The confusion upon Mona's face was genuine and she let out a low cry as Peeta seized her shoulders in order to shake her hard. She felt her own teeth rattling with the assault but she was powerless to draw back.

"No, I promise… I…" she stuttered, shaking her head with vehemence, "I hate them… I hate them all for everything they've done to me… Katniss and her stupid mother and her perfect little sister…"

"If you are lying to me," Peeta began through gritted teeth, his breath hot on Mona's cheek as he leaned into her, "I swear that I…"

"I'm not!" protested Mona, managing to wrench herself free from Peeta's grasp. She scuttled back over to the corner, her arms instinctively wrapping around her own body as she sought protection from the man bearing down on her.

"He survived then," Peeta remarked, his tone oddly devoid of any emotion as he straightened up. His eyes bore a faraway look, and Mona held her breath as she waited for him to erupt again. The storm never came, however, and she relaxed just a little.

"This…" Peeta whispered, tossing his head to the side, "this changes things."

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean…" began Mona in a trembling voice, suddenly terrified by the prospect that her rewards for her service would be revoked. However, Peeta seemed to have lost all of his limited patience with the woman, and he dismissed her words with a raised hand.

"Is there anything else I should know?" he demanded, his head cocked to one side as he peered back at Mona.

There had been whisperings among the districts that President Mellark was not wholly of sound mind. Even though his time in office had been short thus far, there was no scarcity of tales of his unspeakable cruelty, which even outmatched Snow in their voracity. Mona had often wondered if it was all hype or just another attempt by President Coin to secure the loyalty of the districts in uniting against the Capitol. But now, held fast under Mellark's furious stare, the young woman realised that perhaps the rumours were all true.

Though he claimed to hate Katniss and everything she stood for, Mona knew the face of jealousy first hand. Peeta may rally and rage against the Mockingjay but, as Mona found herself rapidly realising, part of his anger was born of Katniss' indifference to his affections. Though Peeta may never have loved her in the purest sense – certainly not as Gale doted on her – rejection still had pierced his heart.

"And this… this isn't all a ruse to secure the adoration of the people? Like the one I orchestrated during the Games?"

Mona was momentarily silent. She had always assumed that it had been Katniss who had engineered those lies. After all, what better way to stoke the fires of the Rebellion she had started than to weave within it a love story that had the country spellbound? Suddenly, the truth, and the reality of her treason, was beginning to strike Mona with alarming clarity; she had run right into the hands of the enemy, and given them information that could potentially change the course of the war for the worse. Certainly, it may risk the safety of a man who had done nothing but show her kindness.

"N… No, it's true," Mona said quietly, batting at the tears that now tripped her cheeks. Tears of regret this time, as opposed to tears of frustration and anger.

Peeta's jaw set and he began to pace the cell, his hands clenched behind his back. "You're absolutely certain there is nothing else you've missed out?"

Mona closed her eyes for a moment, and immediately the smile of the beautiful little Hawthorne child filled her guilty mind. Thoughts of the toddler pricked at her conscience, and she shook her head firmly.

"No. Nothing else."

Peeta seemed to almost deflate, his shoulders sagging and his head dropping as he weighed the information he had received, and apparently found the burden of it overwhelming. For just a moment, Mona dared to hope that she might have been wrong.

When Peeta straightened up moments later, fire in his eyes and cold indifference on his face, her heart plummeted.

"Thank you for your assistance," he crooned, turning on his heel and striding for the door, where two armed guards waited for him.

"My… the bounty…" Mona breathed, closing her eyes in fear of the answer she would receive. She supposed she deserved nothing less, in light of all she had done. Still, she was afraid.

"There is no bounty," Peeta replied, almost cheerfully. He turned back to regard Mona for just a moment. "I despise people who are disloyal to their own cause. Why would I be foolish enough to trust anyone who has already betrayed friends once? Guards, see that she receives exactly what was promised to her."

"Sir?" the shorter of the men asked, clearly confused by the deeper meaning buried within the instruction. Peeta rolled his eyes and scoffed.

"Everything that she deserves," he repeated, carefully enunciating each word so that the sentence finally resembled the threat it truly had become. Mona managed to cage a sob.

Striding down the hall with renewed purpose in his step, Peeta smiled through the ear-piercing screams of the woman being dragged to her execution.

The sound of a single gunshot rang out through the air and the president nodded in satisfaction. Traitors must be dealt with appropriately, and if Mona had been disloyal to one side, she would doubtlessly have had no qualms in betraying the other. Besides, Peeta loathed addicts, and the Capitol had a strict zero tolerance policy regarding those who abused any form of legal or illegal substances. How could they possibly be valuable soldiers or contribute to the great cause when their minds and bodies were rotting or addled by disease?! Mona had served her purpose.

Now, Peeta would visit his revenge upon those who he thought were long since dead and buried. Gale Hawthorne would be too simple of a target, and there would be no poetry or challenge in killing him. Peeta still recalled the silent yet unfailing devotion he had shown Katniss all those years before, even allowing himself to be relegated to the role of 'cousin' so that the fans may believe the darlings of the Games were really and truly in love. Of course, their deception had been short lived; something that couldn't be said for the lie Katniss and her apparent husband had been living for close to a decade.

No, it was high time the world knew of Katniss' deceit and of the secret she kept hidden from them. Whilst they suffered and endured, their prized Mockingjay was living the very life of domesticity so many of her people had forfeited. Whilst they sent their husbands and lovers off to war, Katniss ended each day warm in the arms of hers.

It was time that the people discovered who was really to blame for their misfortunes.

Once again, President Mellark planned to address the nation. Perhaps they were finally ready for the truths that would pass his lips. Soon he would know, one way or another.


	9. Thought We Built a Dynasty Forever Couldn’t Break Up

Peeta leant forward in his seat, his attention well and truly seized by what appeared to be a small child interrupting the telecast. However before he had a chance to examine the screen further, the Mockingjay symbol flickered across the screen and the broadcast was brought to a sudden stop.

Climbing to his feet, Peeta paced the floor of the presidential office, his mind reeling with the possibilities. It might have been an unscheduled interruption from a tiny citizen of district 13, or perhaps, in addition to keeping her husband a secret from the country, Katniss had also somehow managed to keep another, far bigger secret from the nation.

He ran his hand through his hair irritably, picking up a crystal decanter and watching in irritation as his hand shook – as it had since his second foray into the Games. He poured a large measure of bourbon into an equally ornate glass and downed the contents in one mouthful. Pouring out another glass, he stood behind his desk and tried to rationalise what he had just seen.

To his knowledge, Katniss had never taken leave of her duties as Mockingjay. She had appeared in regular newscasts and broadcasts for the last eight years with no periods of absence of note. She’d never looked pregnant, so perhaps this child was simply an unwanted interruption.

Gale Hawthorne had several brothers and sisters, some considerably younger. Perhaps it had been a younger member of the Hawthorne clan simply wanting her brother’s attention. For now, Peeta was going to assume that was the case. The other possibility seemed unlikely the more he dwelled upon it.

 

Sitting back down he picked up the control for the large screen and replayed the final few frames of the broadcast. He noted the exact moment the tiny child – perhaps only a toddler – had appeared and the expression of surprise on Gale’s face. But it wasn’t until he turned his attention to Katniss, and replayed the same three second scene over and over again that he saw it; fear. In all the years he’d known her Katniss Everdeen had never once let her enemy see her afraid, and yet there in that few seconds of film, he saw terror cloud her pretty face.

Testing the weight of the tumbler in his hand, Peeta let out an enraged shriek and curled his arm back, throwing the object full force against the windows of the presidential office. The glass shattered the pane in the centre of the door, sending a shower of broken glass over the roses planted outside the French doors.

Peeta marched over towards the screen, ignoring the desperate and panicked knocking on the door as his guards demanded to know if he needed their assistance. His finger trailed over the face of his former love, until his fingernails clawed at the screen and scraped across the image of the man beside her.

Katniss Everdeen had a child, and finally, the Mockingjay’s weakness had been revealed to the world.


	10. The Poison Tree

**_ Chapter  _ ** **_ Ten _ **

****

****

The entire room was in uproar, all thanks to the appearance of one small child, who had yet again managed to give her designated babysitter the slip.

Gale’s arms tightened instinctively around Briar’s body and the little girl misinterpreted his almost primal reaction of fear for her father simply being pleased to see her. She flung both chubby arms around his neck and squeezed in return, her smile still wide and beaming. Sensing the fury radiating in waves off Katniss’ body, Gale spun Briar around and headed to the door, which she had neglected to close in her wake.

“Come on, let’s go find Grandma,” Gale muttered, ducking his head as he passed under the doorframe.

Katniss spun towards the nearest body, flinging her bow to the ground and seizing the startled woman around the neck. She had crossed the room in just a handful of strides, the woman still in her vice-like grip, where she coughed, wriggled, and choked out her surprise.

“Who the hell forgot to lock the door?” Katniss demanded, throwing the unfamiliar soldier against the nearby wall with more force than necessary.

“I’m sorry, we… I… I don’t know…I…” the woman choked, her hands immediately wrapping protectively around her throat the second Katniss flung her away.

Pushing through the crowd that had assembled inside the studio, President Coin made her way over to the evidently furious young woman and held her hands up in an attempt to placate her.

“Katniss… it’s going to be okay…” she began, her eyes widening with the force of the Mockingjay’s response.

“Okay? It’s gonna be okay? The Capitol just saw my daughter… the whole country saw my daughter. Peeta saw my daughter! Exactly what part of that is ‘okay’?” she yelled, not looking up from the president’s face even when Gale strode back into the room and dismissed the growing throng of bodies with a growl that dared to be defied.

“It was less than three seconds. She was in shot for less than three seconds…” Coin assured them both, her eyes darting between the couple, who stood elbow to elbow. “I’ve got my team working on it as we speak, we’re going to send out a message to the districts saying the broadcast was interrupted by one of Gale’s siblings…”

Pursing his lips, looking as equally bemused as he did angered, Gale folded his arms across his chest as he retorted, “My father’s been dead for twelve years. I’m willing to bet even the Capitol can do the math.”

Coin faltered, the set of her lips almost desperate as she peered at the two faces turned towards her.

“Well, we can… we can say…” she stammered, licking her dry lips and running a hand through her hair, “we can say that the child is family but… a niece, perhaps? You have brothers, right Gale? Katniss herself has a sister so it’s not completely beyond the realms of possibility.”

His expression stony, Gale nodded his head whilst reaching out at his side blindly for Katniss’ hand. She slid her palm against his in response and Gale could feel the tremble that had set into her limbs.

“I guess it’s the best we got right now,” he allowed, although his tone conveyed that he was hardly assuaged by the suggestion.

Katniss remained silent, gnawing on her bottom lip so hard that beads of blood began to form beneath the edges of her front teeth. She shook her head hard, everything in her demeanour desperate.

“It’s not enough,” she insisted, feeling nausea almost overwhelm her where she stood, “he’ll know. He’s going to know she’s ours and… what have we done, Gale? He’s going to… we can’t protect her…”

“Yes, we can,” he promised, drawing his wife into his chest and shooting Coin a scowl so scathing that she hurried back to join her PR team, who were themselves near hysterical at the impromptu appearance of the little Miss. Hawthorne.

Releasing a weary sigh, Gale wrapped his arms around Katniss, his chin resting on the top of her head.

“No… no. He won’t stop, he won’t stop until…” she shook her head ruefully, averting her teary gaze as she added in a whisper, “we should never have had a child. It was stupid and selfish… to bring her into this. We should have… I should have…”

Unable to finish her sentence, Katniss swallowed hard and blinked through an onslaught of further tears.

To say that Briar’s arrival had been a surprise would be an understatement. After two years of marriage and, having taken the necessary precautions to avoid such a situation, an unplanned pregnancy in the middle of war had not been a happy accident for Katniss. Her position as leader of the Rebellion didn’t exactly lend itself to motherhood, and she’d agonised for days over how fair it was to bring a child into such an uncertain, grim future. But it had been their child, and she had quickly realised that the alternative wasn’t something she would willingly contemplate. The baby was a part of them both, and already her urge to protect it overpowered even her better judgement.

His brow furrowed, Gale reached out and tilted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Now I know you don’t mean that.”

All Katniss could do was shake her head, swallowing large gulps of air as she attempted to stem the flow of her tears. Gale remained quiet, sweeping teardrops from her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs as he waited for her to calm down. Several seconds passed and the couple remained pressed close together, their fear for the safety of their daughter entirely equal, but their hope for maintaining her safety far from it.

“I don’t,” Katniss managed, a final deep breath steadying her, “I don’t mean it. I just couldn’t stand to have her hurt because of me. I brought all this on us, Gale. If Peeta… if he tries to get to Briar, it’s on me.”

Gale scoffed at her summation, both eyebrows raised pointedly, “This is not your fault, Katniss. Whatever Peeta has become, that’s all on him. You were his friend, you saved his life back in the Games… and I damn well nearly lost mine trying to keep his ass alive. _You’re stronger than this, Catnip. We’re stronger than this._ ”

His reassurances reminded her of those few stolen moments together all those years ago, back when she had volunteered to take her sister’s place and inadvertently fanned the flames of a Rebellion.

“You’re right,” she nodded her agreement, as though affirming it to Gale before she could change her own mind, “this isn’t on us. But keeping Briar safe is.”

“I know, and we will,” he promised, cupping her cheek and pressing a kiss to her forehead, “Coin is gonna run damage control and in the meantime we don’t let Briar out of our sight. If I hadn’t… If I’d been firmer with her about busting in here when I’m working…”

Katniss smiled softly, shaking her head to deter him from his own path of self-blame. “She’d still have come running in here just the same.”

“Maybe if we had better babysitters,” Gale added under his breath, his voice a low grumble. Despite the situation, despite herself, Katniss laughed.

“You know that kid is far too much like both of us,” she soothed as she stroked down the lapels of Gale’s uniform, flattening them against his chest from where Briar’s little fingers had mussed them, “it’s not the babysitter’s that are the problem.”

Gale found himself returning Katniss’ smile, although he couldn’t hide the shadow of worry in his eyes from her. They had been to Hell and back together, perhaps several times over the years, and there was very little either could successfully keep from the other.

“You said it would be okay,” Katniss murmured, reminding Gale of his earlier vow, which seemed to clear up the last vestiges of concern that lined his usually smooth features.

“It will,” he reiterated, clasping both of Katniss’ hands to his chest, “we will. Don’t make me repeat myself, Mrs. Hawthorne.”

Glancing back over to President Coin and the assembled District 13 propo team, who were still in the midst of deep and rather frenzied conversation, Katniss let loose a sigh.

“I guess we should go read the kid the riot act,” she declared, frowning at the prospect. There was nothing Katniss loathed more than seeing her daughter’s chin wobble as she chastised her, which didn’t happen quite as often as it perhaps ought to given the aforementioned point.

Gale nodded sagely, “You take Briar, I’ll take my mom?”

Katniss shrugged in agreement, realising her husband was perhaps better placed to ‘discuss’ the untimely escape of the four year old with his mother than she was. In truth, it was only Prim whom she trusted implicitly to watch her daughter in her and Gale’s absence; and she had to admit that that was mostly due to the little girl’s wilful nature being so very like her own, that only her sister knew how to deal with the toddler’s adventurous streak.

Pausing to exchange a kiss, the couple parted ways, and Katniss began to navigate the hallways of the underground bunker with her heart hammering precariously in her throat. Despite Coin’s reassurances, she was terrified that Peeta had already connected the pieces of the puzzle. If he had known only one thing about Katniss back when they had been friends, it was that her family meant everything to her. That had been the very reason she’d found herself in the Games, and was the reason now that she fought so tirelessly to protect them and to secure a better future for them all. It was the promise of family at home – kept safe by Gale – that had brought her through the very darkest times in the arena.

Touching a hand absently to the chain around her neck, she fished out the locket that she had shown him all those years ago; the grainy black and white images of her mother, Prim, and Gale stared back at her, along with another image she had tucked inside the frame. A little dark haired baby, her eyes the mirror image of the man whose photograph rested beside hers.

Stealing herself for a moment, Katniss gathered her resolve and opened the door to their quarters, unsurprised to find Briar playing merrily with paper and homemade crayons whilst Effie and Haymitch both stood guard over her.

“Oh Katniss!” Effie immediately set upon her, seizing both her hands and gripping them tight enough to compromise her circulation. “Whatever are we going to do?”

Her eyes were huge, seeming even wider somehow given the absence of her old, over the top Capitol make up. Katniss could clearly see the genuine concern within them, which was no great surprise to her given Effie’s feelings towards the Hawthorne child, who she often proclaimed to be the only light in the darkness of the District 13 underground tunnels. Children were still somewhat of a rarity in 13, due to the pox outbreak that had rendered many of the original inhabitants infertile, and so Briar’s arrival had been viewed with a general sense of awe by most of the population. They often proclaimed how good it was to once again hear a child’s laughter ringing out through the bunker, and since Briar’s birth a handful of other infants had been born to former District 12 refugees. Far from being concerned by the additions to her populace, and just how they were to both house and feed them in the midst of a war, President Coin seemed delighted by the arrivals; she was no fool, and she knew that these successful live births gave hope to the residents of 13 for a brighter future. In short, the children gave them all something to fight for when sometimes spirits were low.

“Alma is handling it… or at least I hope she is,” Katniss replied, reluctant to say more when Briar was listening, which of course she was. The little girl had managed to accidentally overhear many important titbits over the years when the adults around her had simply presumed that she was too immersed in her own childish world to pay much mind to what they were saying or doing. Katniss’ mother had been quick to warn both she and Gale that small children were often prone to eavesdropping at the most inopportune moments, and so it was a mistake they rarely made these days, although the same couldn’t be said for others.

“Of course she is,” Haymitch stated, his voice ringing with confidence and authority, which somehow automatically made Katniss feel just a little better. “She’s no fool. She’ll see that everything is smoothed over.”

“Mommy!” Briar cried, finally flinging down her crayons and bounding over to Katniss. She held aloft a scrap of paper, upon which her childish scrawl could be seen in muted greens and browns.

“I drawded you and Daddy in the forest,” she thrust the paper up to her mother, bouncing up and down in her excitement, “see? Effie said it’s real good!”

Trying to ignore the beaming smile on her daughter’s face, Katniss attempted her most stern look and sat down on the couch, patting the seat beside her.

“Briar, I need to talk to you.”

Effie nodded in understanding at the younger woman and grasped Haymitch’s sleeve to lead him towards the door.

The little girl watched them go and offered them a carefree wave, before ignoring her mother’s apparent attempt to get her to sit beside her and instead clambering up happily onto her knee. Unable to resist the warm little body, Katniss wrapped her arms around Briar, still besieged with fear and grateful just to be able to hold her child close.

“What’s the matter, Momma?” Briar frowned at finding her mother’s expression to be one of clear displeasure. The toddler’s brows knitted together as she looked up at Katniss expectantly with wide, grey eyes.

“What have Daddy and I told you about running away from Grandma Hazel, and Grandma, and Aunt Prim, and Effie, and Haymitch?” Katniss coached, feeling at once ridiculous and like the worst parent in the world as she rattled off the long list of babysitters Briar had successfully evaded.

Briar looked down at her lap, her little rosebud lips pursing thoughtfully as she reached her fingers up to play with the end of her braid. Sweeping her daughter’s face with her gaze, Katniss felt her heart constrict as she looked upon her child. She had to consciously bite back the smile that tugged at her lips each time she gazed at the beautiful little girl.

“Briar? I’m waiting…”

“You said… not ta…” Briar mumbled, fingers still stroking her own hair until Katniss gently but firmly disentangled them in order to gather the smaller hands in her own.

“That’s right,” Katniss continued, a cold feeling growing in the pit of her stomach as her mind naturally wandered to the possible consequences of Briar’s disobedience. “Daddy and I have told you so many times to stay with the grown up who’s taking care of you.”

“Cos you have ‘portant work?” Briar queried, tipping her head as she peered up at her mother, whose expression grew exasperated at once.

“No,” Katniss protested, vehemently shaking her head, “no Briar, there is nothing more important to Daddy and me than you. You have to stay where we tell you to because otherwise you could get hurt… you can’t keep running off like this, little duck… it’s got nothing to do with… work isn’t the most important thing. Keeping you safe is.”

Briar screwed up her face, clearly not comprehending much of what Katniss was telling her beyond the fact that she had done wrong.

“Are you mad, momma?” Briar asked, perhaps a little more subdued than usual all of a sudden.

“Yes, I’m mad, Briar. Because I want you to be safe…” Katniss began, looking up as Gale walked in then closed the door behind him.

Staring up fearfully at her parents, Briar began to toy with the buttons on Katniss’ blouse. “Because of the bad man?”

Glancing towards her husband as he took a seat beside her, Katniss placed her hand to the little girl’s cheek, stroking her thumb over baby soft skin. “What bad man, little duck?”

Shrugging as she felt the weight of both of her parents’ stares upon her, Briar lifted her uncertain gaze to her mother.

“The bad man… on the TV,” she explained, her voice high-pitched and infantile, and wholly unaware of the weight of her words.

Gale stared straight ahead, his expression betraying his anger and also heartbreak that his daughter should ever know fear.

Swallowing hard, Katniss gathered the toddler to her chest, wrapping her in a hug that was almost constrictive. Pressing kisses to Briar’s hair, she rocked her slowly in her arms, just as she had done to Prim all those years before.

“Nobody will ever hurt you, Briar. Daddy and I will never, ever let anybody hurt you.” Suddenly remembering the reason for their talk, Katniss added, “But you need to stop running off like you did today. Okay?”

Briar’s nod was fast and comically animated, her eyes wide to emphasise her point.

“Okay,” Briar readily agreed, although it was a vow both Katniss and Gale had heard before. “I pwomise!”

Frowning, Gale held up his pinkie finger before extending it to the child, his expression serious and almost stern.

“You can’t break a promise, Briar, remember when I told you that?” he encouraged, managing to thwart the urge to smile when Briar wrapped her own tiny pinkie finger around his, “your word is your bond, kid. If you promise something to me or Mommy or Auntie Prim or anyone else, you have to follow through.”

Briar continued to nod but curiousity had begun to overwhelm her features, and she nibbled on her lip as she obviously considered her impending question.

“What if…if I don’t?” she demanded, swinging her legs as they dangled over the side of her mother’s lap. Resisting the urge to groan in frustration, Gale ensured that the set of his mouth and the stare he levelled his daughter with did not brook even the slightest rebellion.

“No dessert for three whole months,” he supplied quickly, thinking on his feet, as he had learned to do where parenting a headstrong and highly inquisitive child was concerned.

Katniss bit her bottom lip to conceal her smile of amusement, as Briar’s eyes grew wide as saucers and she began to nod solemnly. “I not run off, I pwomise, Daddy. Nope. I pwomise.”

“Okay,” Gale nodded sagely, adding with a sigh, “but you’ve promised now, Ladybug, you remember that.”

Nodding emphatically, Briar’s incredibly serious expression made Katniss’ heart swell, and she cuddled the little girl close despite the situation at hand. “Alright, now. You go play.”

Briar beamed as her mother scattered kisses playfully across her chubby cheeks, and she giggled as gentle hands tickled her.

Waiting until her laughter had subsided, Katniss stared down at the impossibly perfect face before her. She leant down until she could bump her nose against Briar’s, feeling Gale’s stare upon them without even needing to look up.

“I love you so much, little one.”

Briar grinned, already more than certain of her parents’ adoration, and wholly oblivious to the tears that welled in her mother’s eyes as she curled miniature fingers around Katniss’ wrist.

Gale placed his arm around his wife, drawing her closer and reaching out to brush away an errant tear with the pad of his thumb.

“I made you sad, Momma?” Briar looked crestfallen at the prospect.

Shaking her head hurriedly, Katniss mustered a smile despite the terror that was clawing at her insides. “No, baby. You make me happy, every single second of every single day.”

“Grandma said you drew her a picture,” Gale stated, turning his attention to Briar for a moment, “why don’t you go get it so I can take a look?”

Momentarily forgetting her mother’s unexplained sorrow, Briar shuffled off Katniss’ lap and hurried to the door, which slid open with just a little difficulty. She had escaped into the hallway within seconds and set off in search of her Grandma Hazel, who still held the piece of artwork in question.

Finding themselves alone, if only for just a few minutes until Briar’s return, Katniss and Gale gravitated closer to each other. Their hands interlinked and Katniss rested her head on Gale’s shoulder; a position which allowed for him to drop a single kiss to the top of her head.

“He doesn’t know,” Gale repeated firmly, not needing to elaborate further for Katniss to understand his meaning. “Soon Coin will hear back from the other districts and we’ll know if they bought it.”

“They have to,” Katniss muttered, rubbing at her stinging eyes with the back of her hand. She was exhausted and the day had not yet even begun to draw to an end.

“They will,” insisted Gale, his tone as firm as it had been when he had been dealing with Briar’s misdemeanour minutes before.

Schooling his expression into one of surprise, Gale opened his arms out to Briar as she came hurtling back into the room, and almost immediately began chattering away about the picture she held aloft. Gale nodded at her explanation as if he understood her masterpiece, his arm tightly encircled around her as he hoisted her up onto his knee. Briar pointed and gestured to the indecipherable swirls and figures on the paper, and Gale uttered his best assurances of how smart and talented she was in the way only devoted fathers can.

Katniss leaned her elbow on the back of the threadbare couch as she watched them, her smile growing wider by the second. The mutual adoration that so clearly existed between father and daughter was palpable, not just visible.  

Deciding not to let her maudlin thoughts ruin the memory she had a chance to create, Katniss shook off her fears for that moment and became immersed in the love of the family she had created.

**x-x-x**

The president seldom ventured to the Capitol laboratories but when he did, the workers could be certain that something of the utmost importance was to be required of them.

Walking between the rows upon rows of pristine metal tables with his hands clasped behind his back, Peeta allowed the inane chatter of the scientist by his side to wash over him. He did not comment, he did not react - he only made sure to maintain the careful air of indifference that he preferred to cultivate.

“And so you see, President Mellark,” the tall, lean, middle aged man at his elbow was declaring, his hands rubbing together as he stammered on, “we really have made enormous strides in…”

“Yes, yes, yes, let’s stop pretending for just a moment that I’m interested in any of that,” interjected Peeta, staring down the scientist until he gulped hard and fell quiet. A smirk ghosted across Peeta’s lips and he allowed it to linger for just a second before he dismissed it.

“Tell me how our other project is going,” he insisted, pronouncing each word slowly and pointedly.

Seeming suddenly distracted, Peeta swept his gaze around the lab, noting with some satisfaction how the doctor followed his line of sight to the cabinet furthest across the room. Multiple locks and security pads lined the sides, and the hazard signs attached to the door hinted at the ominous contents.

“Tell me, how far into development did you get before Snow’s spineless interior minister closed the program?”

The doctor swallowed hard with an audible gulp. Looking at the newly sworn in president with obvious concern, he cleared his throat.

“To the trial stage… sir.”

Peeta nodded, apparently pleased with this revelation. “Huh. Good. That’s very good.”

With his hands behind his back, he began to once again pace the laboratory, his lips pursed as he pondered the plan unfolding in his mind.

“Have the ‘product’ finished by tomorrow. I’ll see that a test subject is brought to you by morning.”

“Tomorrow? Sir, with all due respect, I…” the scientist began, beads of sweat beginning to form on his upper lip.

Peeta’s head whipped around and the smirk that formed on his face all but dared the doctor to continue.

“With all due respect, doctor, if you finish that sentence, I’m certain I won’t have any issues in encouraging your replacement to meet my deadline.”

“My… re… replacement?” the man repeated, his face paling significantly, which almost made Peeta chuckle. He kept his expression stoic though as he nodded his head gravely.

“Now you see the quandary we’re in, don’t you?” sighed Peeta, beginning to stroll back towards the doorway, running his fingertips over stainless steel benches as he went.

Pausing suddenly, Peeta turned and captured the doctor in an unwavering stare that made the scientist visibly tremble. As volatile as Snow had been at times, his behaviour had been nowhere near as unpredictable as his young successor.

“We have the vaccine, yes?”

“Yes, sir.” The scientist nodded dutifully, already climbing to his feet as he considered the mammoth task before him.

Peeta allowed a beat before he added, “And the cure… we know it works?”

Despite the insidious nature of his plan, elements of it perhaps scared him, and Peeta was certain that if one was considering biological warfare as a tactic then one should probably prepare for all elements of potential fall-out. Casualties within the military or among the Capitol residents would be disastrous for his career. Not to mention, of course, that the presence of a vaccine and cure would make excellent bargaining chips when addressing the leaders of more rebellious districts. Perhaps it might even induce them to hand over the Mockingjay herself.

The fall of Katniss Everdeen, (or was it Hawthorne?), was all that mattered now – of that President Mellark was confident. Snuff out the fire that burned within her and the flames of the Rebellion itself would dwindle then die also.

Peeta had quickly come to realize that he had been going about everything all wrong, which was a sort of clarity that he had to thank a tiny dark haired child for bringing to light.

After all, there was more than one way to skin a Mockingjay.

 


End file.
